The Vengeance of Harley Quinn
by meismedude
Summary: The Joker is dead. Gotham City is safe from his reign of terror but his faithful Harley Quinn will not take his death lightly. She has plans for Gotham City and Batman. But she has a surprise is store.
1. Breakout

She just sat in there, in her cell; her back to the glass wall. Bruce Wayne looked at the helpless girl in front of him. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her: losing her beloved, left out in the streets and captured by hated men. The girl was still as a statue yet her aura of hatred and evil sent chills down Bruce's spine. Another man walked up beside Bruce, holding a clipboard and his face full of worry.

"She hasn't said a word or moved since she arrived" the man said, revealing himself to be Commissioner James Gordon. Bruce had known this man for years, being the most powerful man in Gotham City he knew all the police force. Also known as the GCPD (Gotham City Police Department).

"Poor Girl" Bruce managed to say. "I can't help but feel sorry for her"

"She deserves what she gets!" Gordon was harsh with his words. "In fact this is the most gracious option. She should have gotten worse!"

"No one deserves worst than what they have got, Commissioner!" Bruce put his point across. Gordon looked up at the eligible bachelor.

"Would you also say that about her 'beloved'?" Gordon looked with detective eyes. His white moustache wrinkled as he tried to deduce Bruce's opinion.

"Joker was a dark person with a bad childhood that's all!" Bruce raised his voice.

"Joker killed people for a laugh!"

"There are other people in Arkhum!"

"But he was the worst!"

"HE WAS THE BEST!" a sharp female voice rang out. Bruce and Commissioner Gordon turned round to see the young girl standing up. Her three coloured hair was messed up in madness, her eyes darkened in wanted vengeance and her outfit bright and colourful. The design of the outfit made Bruce think of a court jester from the middle ages. The girl in front of him was the perfect mate for the Joker. A horrid murderer who's psychopathic ways hurt many people and corrupted the chosen few.

"I loved him and he was the only person in this God Damn world who cared for me!"

"Be quiet Mrs Quinzell!" Commissioner Gordon shouted in frustration.

"It's Quinn, Harley Quinn!" She said stomping her feet. The blonde locks in her hair flicked up in anger. "And this is my que!"

At that moment in time, the building shook and the cell in front of them filled with smoke. As the smoke cleared and Bruce and the Commissioner recovered from the initial blast, Bruce looked up to see the shocking event. The girl in the red and black corset stood up fully with high amounts of elegance and venom in her moves. Her pants were patterned with three diamonds shaped into a upwards arrow. Bruce looked outside the hole on the other side of the cell to see men in similar colours to the the woman they were saving.

"Bye Bye Brucey!" Harley Quinn teased, blowing a kiss the Gotham's most eligible bachelor. She stepped back out of the cell and joined the group of men, running for freedom into the city.


	2. Six Weeks Later

*_SIX WEEKS __LATER_*

"She's been quiet" Batman stood up on the building's ledge. His dark outfit made him invisible to the people below. His hand was against his communicator in which he contacted the Batcave with.

"She's being patient" a intellectual female voice replied. Oracle stared at the computer screen in the Batcave: looking over maps, checking CCTV footage and listening to police scanners for any news on Harley Quinn. "Harley is a woman in mourning. She won't rush into her revenge!"

"She wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for me!"

"Yes she would, you saw the Joker. He was dying already and his rush to get the cure caused his death!" Oracle stated down the communicator. Batman felt a bit of sympathy for Harley Quinn but it was his duty to bring her down.

The news received on Harley was that she had acquired most of the Joker's henchmen and some of the Penguin's after his downfall. She had these men cause riot amongst the streets of Gotham whilst she recovered from her mourning phase. Batman himself had to attend to a couple of these henchmen since either he recognised them from the break out or they had caused a serious situation that GCPD couldn't come out successful.

"Keep a look out on her Oracle, she's bound to appear soon!" Batman said staring into the city.

"Will do Bruce" Oracle said, revealing Batman's true identity.

Batman swung down from the ledge and glided across the street. He landed on a posh looking building that had gargoyles on the roof. Batman blended into the night as he travelled across the city. He managed to rise to the highest tower in Gotham, being Wayne Enterprises, and looked to one particular point. Arkhum City, now the ruined Arkhum City. It's high rising flats, warehouses and factories were crumbling from the many demolition bombs placed at their base. A entire city that was filled with any criminal, run by people hoping that the criminals would kill themselves. The place had an eerie smog covering it, different from the clean air of Gotham.

"Bruce, are you there?" his communicator buzzed.

"Go ahead, Oracle" he said still gazing at the ruined prison city.

"I was listening to some GCPD chatter when a call for back-up came up. Apparently a small group of Clown Faces are holding up a Diner on the outskirts of Gotham" she explained.

"Barbara, If they need me they would call for me!"

"That's the thing, these cops are jealous of your fame. They believe they can arrest them and become heroes. The Detective in charge has actual threatened someone's life if they turn on the bat signal"

"Fine, keep an eye out. This could be one of Harley's gang"

"Maybe but from what I can tell, Harley is still in hiding" Oracle said cutting of communication to Batman.

Batman sighed and turned away from the dreadful city. He opened his arms and dropped down on to the street below. He grabbed on to the edges of his cape and glided into a dark alley to meet the Bat-mobile. He started it up and within seconds they were rushing to the Diner that was being held up.

* * *

Batman arrived at the Diner to find it surrounded by a bunch of police cars and helicopters. Men were wadding around waiting for their opportune moment to attack. Batman exited the Bat-mobile and launched himself into the air. He reached for his belt and grabbed his grappling gun. He aimed for the Diner roof and pulled the trigger. The hook launched form the gun and landed on the metal roof with no problem. Batman opened up his cape again and used the grappling rope to pull him to the Diner roof.

"Oracle any more Information before I enter?" Batman said, standing over a grated shaft. The thugs were surrounded around the Diner whilst the civilians hid under tables and whimpered with fear.

"Police have released info to the press saying that there is five thugs and at least 15 civilians" Oracle said glimpsing at her screen. "That's all I have got!"

"Right then!"

Batman opened up the grate and fell directly into the middle of the five thugs. One by one they realised that he was there. With one swoop of his cape, four of them were knocked down. The remaining stander charged at Batman with a knife, Batman responded by grabbing his hand and snapping it in two. As the man fell in pain, Batman kicked his chest, sending him flying to the back of the bar. The other four recovered only to be knocked down again as one by one Batman grabbed a large pipe and thudded them over the head. Then their was only one. The remaining thug quickly grabbed a civilian and kept her at gun-point.

"Back off or she gets it!"

"Not this again" Batman placed his hands to his side, one of them gripping his belt.

"Back off, I'm warning you!" Batman took a stride forward and released his hand. A bat-a-rang twirled through the air and landed on the top of the thugs head. Both the thug and the civilian fell to the ground but only one was concious. Batman quickly unlocked the door and allowed each of the civilian's go. They rushed out into the police.

Commissioner Gordon stood by his car looking at the Diner. He then noticed the black outline of Gotham's legendary Hero, Batman. Batman walked out of the Diner, carrying all five thugs in both hands. He dropped them down in the middle of the road and was about to walk off when someone shouted his name.

"Bat-brains!" Batman recognised the sharp, female voice of Harley Quinn. He turned around to see a completely different woman from what he last saw of her in a confined cell. Instead of wearing half black and half red she was wearing mostly black with the odd red three diamond symbol somewhere on her. She wore a similar corset, tight pants and knee high boots. But this time her shoulders were bare (apart from the straps of the leather corset) showing off her pale skin, her arms were covered with black gloves with white fur surrounding both sides and she wore a small veil that covered all of her face. The veil still showed the animalistic sneer of revenge, the cruel beauty in her face and the smudged make up from the obvious tears. Her hair was now only two colours, changed from the blonde with the bottom of one ponytail being red and the other being black. Now it was black with only the bottom of one of the ponytails dyed a weakened red.

"Harley" Batman said as she walked out of the Diner. "Give yourself up, it will be alot easier!"

Harley Quinn just sneered as she raised her hand to show the huge pistol she was holding. It was thick and larger and patterned with Harley Quinn's symbol. Instead of lowering it to fire at someone she just fired blankly into the sky.

Then the trap awoke, all of the civilians turned on the police, fighting for their guns or something to fight with. The police in shock let them do it as they still believed them to be civilians. Soon gun-fire rang through the barricade as the civilians soon killed any cop in sight with their stolen guns.

"Meet my acting class, Batman!" Batman felt a shock run through him as for the first time in Harley Quinn's criminal life she called him Batman, just like the Joker use to do. Batman ran to the nearest police officer and saved him from a maddened civilian thug. Batman quickly knocked her into the car and helped the police officer up. The officer smiled but then turned into shock as a bullet landed in his head, killing him instantly.

Commissioner Gordon ran round firing at enemies and also anything that could distract them. He hid behind a police car and started firing where Harley Quinn was standing. As she saw the bullets land on the floor, she raised up her arm without moving her head and pulled her trigger. The bullet met it's target and Commissioner Gordon fell down to the ground, dead.

"James nooooo!" Batman yelled as he finished off another civilian thug and ran to see if Gordon was really dead. He saw the truth but didn't want to believe it. More thugs attacked him and he quickly finished them off and any other that came at him.

Soon their was only him and Harley Quinn left standing. Batman was panting, out of air as he finished the last thug and moved in to confront Harley. All of the other cops were dead, leaving him on his own.

"Well well Batsy, on our own tonight!" Harley said smiling her evil grin. She mimicked every step that Batman took, keeping the same distance apart from them.

"As usual" was his only reply.

"Well I'm alone now, I have been alone for the last six weeks. After you killed MR. J!" She started to shake in anger.

"I didn't kill him!" Batman tried to keep Harley's cool.

"Yeah, that's like saying a Mr. J is still alive!" She was on the verge of losing it.

"He could have been if it wasn't for his stupid plan!" Harley Quinn lost it and screamed. She charged at Batman and grabbed a knife out of her belt and aimed it for him. Batman quickly side-swept her and ran for the Diner. Inside was the carnage of a bullet fight between two cops and some thugs.

Batman hid beside a table when he realised that one of the cops was still alive and breathing. He was about to help him when he heard the boots hitting the floor.

"Come out Batman!" Harley Quinn stood by the door, her back to Batman. Batman took his chance and jumped forward ready to grab her. But Harley expected this and flipped her entire body forward. She then gently moved herself onto the Diner bar, like an acrobat.

"Harley just end this now!" Batman said.

"I'm trying to do that!" Batman charged at her but she swung her leg back and kicked him in the face. Batman was thrown back with such force that his impact smashed a couple of windows.

Harley Quinn laughed whilst dancing on the bar. "That's right Batsy, I've grown stronger!"

Batman wasn't impressed, he turned his head to the alive cop which is what made Harley notice. "Can't have any witnesses now can we?"

Harley Quinn raised her chunky gun and targeted the cop. She pulled the trigger, her smile mimicked the Jokers as the bullet left the gun. Batman couldn't let her kill an innocent man and so he pushed his body forward. This making him go into direct path of the bullet. Harley Quinn in shock screamed as her bullet got the wrong target. Instead of the corpse of a cop, she had received the corpse of Batman. Her bullet had entered his head, the weakest protected part of the suit.

"I killed Batman!" she yelled in glee. She had to take it further. She ran to the police cars and grabbed a scanner. "Guess what Gotham, Harley's back with a newsflash! I'VE JUST KILLED YOUR DARK NIGHT!"


	3. Takeover

*_NEWSFLASH_*

A blonde haired reporter, wearing a long rain coat and knee high boots was staring into the camera. She wanted to raise her hands as if she was holding a microphone but taken in what position she was in, she didn't have one. Her perfectly smooth face was dirty with mud and blood was trickling down from a cut in her eyebrow. She nodded and someone behind the camera held their thumb out.

"_Vicki Vale here, reporting live from the outskirts of Gotham City. As we all know I am standing outside the Diner where the mentally unstable Harley Quinn, now Criminal_

_Queen of Gotham City, shot and killed both our beloved Batman and respected Commissioner James Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department. When news of his_

_death was past around many criminals came out of hiding and caused riots on the street, innocent people were killed and lives were destroyed. Not only did his death_

_shake the very foundations of Gotham City but the long question of who Batman really was, was answered. Bruce Wayne, the City's idol and heart and soul, who risked_

_his life and career for the sake of peace and justice. A month after the event and I stand here, giving my last ever report, and a warning. Gotham City has fallen, if you are_

_still in there, get out. You aren't safe, pack up your stuff and run, get out of the City. Their is a safe house located at Wayne's Manor, I have reports that their is a hidden_

_tunnel underneath the mansion Without Batman, the GCPD fell, killed in action. Mayor Quincy Sharp has abandoned his post and fled the city with as much fire power as_

_he could get. Gotham has become the new Arkhum City. This is the end. She's won, Harley Quinn has taken her revenge, on us all_"

Vicki ended her speech but the camera didn't stop running. Vicki's face filled with fear as she saw something that made her turn around and run. The camera man, we guess, ran with the camera on his shoulder following the frightened woman. The Diner completely blew up as something followed the two in a raging carnage. The camera flipped round just to get a good luck and the three vehicles following them. Each was filled with Clown Faces, armed with heavy weaponry and the most dangerous thing in Gotham; Harley Quinn stood high on the roof of the middle vehicle. She laughed at the people's fear, she raised her gun at the camera and fired her pistol.

The camera toppled to the ground and blood poured over the grass. The last thing caught on the camera was Harley's boot as it came crashing down onto the lense.


	4. Two Years Later

*_TWO YEARS LATER_*_  
_

Barbara Gordon wheeled down the road. It was a struggle to move a wheelchair on a dirt road, Barbara disliked being a wheelchair. She moved the lever trying to get her wheels out of the mud. She looked up to see the many tents filled with hundreds of people from the evacuation. Barbara could remember fleeing the Manor house when Alfred locked down the Bat-cave.

Tim Drake walked beside her, his tight bikers jacket wrapped closely around his chest. His boots grinded on the dirt road, watching his feet next to Barbara's wheels made him feel sad, well sadder since the death of Bruce. He didn't cry, he doesn't like to cry, he wanted to be tough like Bruce. He had a glimpse of it as Batman's apprentice, Robin. After succeeding two Robins and has stayed alive the longest.

The two friends travelled down to the small tent at the end of the road. Tim was carrying a bag full of supplies whilst Barbara had a sack full of small gadgets recovered from the side of the main road.

"We have to do something!" Tim broke the tension. Barbara looked up at Tim with shock in her eyes, her spectacles reflected her shock.

"We've had this conversation before!"

"Yes but I've been thinking"

"No!" Barbara shouted. "We vowed never to talk or continue about our duty's in Gotham!"

"Barbs, listen to me, people are suffering!" Tim started to walk off in anger, leaving Barbara behind.

"So are we!"

"Then that gives us even more of a reason!" Tim turned round showing the disabled girl his emotions in his face.

"What did Bruce teach us?"

"I'm not saying it"

"He taught us five rules. What was rule number two?" Barbara felt like standing up and slapping Tim across the face. But to her shame she couldn't.

"Don't try to be the hero if you are in a similar position" Tim mumbled. Barbara looked away from Tim's face and rolled her chair past him. They walked in silence to the tent.

When they entered the tent, Barbara rolled straight into a separate part of the tent. When Tim entered the tent, he dropped the bag of supplies and went to his bed. He removed his jacket to reveal his shirt all creased and stained from the dirt picked up in the wind. Tim breathed out slowly as he placed his hand underneath his mattress. He grabbed what felt like a book and pulled it out. He opened it up to show pictures and news articles about Batman and Robin. He recognised his idol in the pictures and the jolly kid following his every footstep. He missed it all, even the advances Poison Ivy use to perform on him.

"TIM!" Barbara shouted. Tim stood up straight away and rushed to the source of the shout. He entered the part of the tent that Barbara went in. He looked at the people in the room. Barbara was sitting in her wheelchair, as usual, but then there was Alfred, lying in bed. On his death bed.

"What happened?" Tim shouted.

"Alfred had a temporary stroke!" Barbara said whilst looking at the machines connected to Alfred. His heart monitor seemed steady but the previous history of it showed fast heartbeats and dangerously in the red zone. "He's fine now but his condition won't stay stable for long"

Barbara turned her head to stare her sad eyes at Tim.

"He's dying, isn't he" Tim solemnly said. Barbara only nodded, she checked the monitors again and pressed a button. A tube full of clear liquid emptied itself into Alfred's blood system. "Is their anything we can do!"

"Not us!" Barbara quickly activated her console on her wheelchair. "Alfred has MacGregor's Syndrome, stage one. It's deadly but with recent research, it can be healed."

"Great, how can he be cured?" Tim said with a certain happiness.

She looked at the console with care, reading past lectures on the syndrome. Tim became interested in the information and tried reading over Barbara's shoulder. Barbara however looked into thin air and sighed. A look of depression came across her face.

"Well" said Tim. "What's the problem?" Tim said in confusion.

"The only person who could possibly make a cure for Alfred is Freeze" Barbara explained.

"The walking iceberg, how could he make a cure?" Tim shouted, pulling his face at the idea.

"His wife has the same syndrome, but it has gotten so bad that she has to be kept in frozen stasis" Barbara began to explain. "That's why he was so bothered about her disappearance in Arkhum City"

"Great so where is he now?" Tim clapped his hands together. "North Pole, the Antarctic?"

"Try Gotham City!"

"He never left!" Tim shouted in surprise. "What's he been doing in there?"

"He's been Harley Quinn's prisoner!" Barbara began. "She is planning something, the last year she has been using the thugs and inmates to gather essentials for something. Freeze is one of them!"

Tim just stared. "And how would you know what she's been doing?" he tried to keep a straight face.

Barbara shuddered. "OK, I was interested in what was going on. I've been watching for thirteen month now"

"So" Tim said leaning over Barbara. "What's the plan Oracle?"

"Get suited, Robin!" Oracle smiled and pressed a button on her chair. The tent shuddered as a massive computer opened up in the main section. A pod containing Robin's suit opened up as well.

The suit was a copper armoured shirt with the letter 'R' on his left hand side, comfortable black pants, armoured boots that go up just under the knees and a hooded cape that was meant to always wear the hood. Along side the suit was a small mask to be worn around the eyes and a pair of gloves armoured for Tim's fighting skills. Robin's main weapon was a long staff that could shorten if nessercary.

"Harley Quinn here I come!"


	5. What Gotham has become?

Robin grappled onto the building. It was a small flat built just on the outskirts of Gotham City. He could see the burned down Diner where Batman was killed from where he stood. He walked across the roof-top and gazed at what was his home. The bright city lights were replaced with an eerie glow, the larger buildings had been built upon by Harley Quinn taking shape of what looked like one connected building and smoke from burning buildings rose high up into the air.

"Robin, you there?" Oracle asked over the communicator.

"Yeah, I'm here!" Robin looked over the City, it looked more like Arkhum City than Gotham. Buildings with broken windows, streets littered with burnt out cars and Inmates and Thugs running around the streets. "Harley has turned this place into a bigger version if Arkhum!"

"I wonder if that's what she intended or if it just turned out that way" Oracle stated over the phone. Robin looked over the ledge to see a group of Inmates walking along the street. Each of them holding a type of weapon. Whether it be a baseball bat, a lead pipe or a pair of knuckle busters.

"Seems like people are packing weapons now" Robin laughed. Then something in the distance caught both his and the Inmates eyes. A truck painted red and black rushed down the street. Clown faces were waving guns and ropes as if they were chasing the inmates. They tried to tun but the truck was quicker pulling up beside them, making them stop. One by one the Clown Faces got out of the truck, wearing their red and black uniforms. They spread dominance over the inmates making sure they know who was boss. "Plus Harley Quinn seems to have the main power here. I wonder what happened to Two-Face and Penguin?"

"My initial observations showed them still in the city. But over the last month, their forces have been dwindling. Two-Face has gone into hiding as his forces unravelled and Penguin is holding up the main harbour. Harley Quinn's forces have got him surrounded."

"Well we have to get this cure for Freeze. Where do I start?" Robin asked, leaning back on an air vent. The shouts and screams of the inmates being loaded into the truck could be heard from the vents.

"Knowing you, you'd probably want to find Harley's lair, infiltrate it and force Freeze to give you the cure" Oracle said, her voice full of disappointment and sarcasm.

"You know me so well Barbs" Robin joked.

"Well don't!" Oracle said over the communicator. "First of Harley has made a fort out of Wayne Enterprises, the tallest building which happens to be at the heart of Gotham. She sees everything"

"So"

"So, if you try to get in there, you'll die"

"Lets not be hasty then" Robin said with a smile on his face.

"Good. The next point is that you'll need equipment. The tech I gave you is on short supply and their only prototypes. You will need to go to the Bat-cave and gather your things there."

"But isn't the Bat-cave in ruins" Robin said confused.

"No, the manor is completely destroyed. The Bat-cave is secure no one got in, especially not Harley Quinn" Oracle explained the situation of both hers and Robin's old home. "Gather your equipment then you will need to find Penguin"

"WHY?"

"Because Penguin stole the Bat-mobile from Harley. She wants it back. If you take it from Penguin you can use it as an entry point into Wayne Enterprises. Bruce built a cave underneath the building just in case he needed to enter it as Batman"

"So the Bat-mobile is a way into Harley's lair" Robin said trying to piece it all together.

"Yes so you'll need to get to Penguin before she does" Oracle said with a certain strain.

"OK, I'll think it'll be alot better if you keep an eye out for Harley" Robin said.

"OK, I'll start right away." Barbara said sarcastically. "One of her choppers is above you"

Robin cut communication and looked up. A GCPD helicopter, spray painted black and red, was shining a huge searchlight straight at him. He squinted his eyes and ran. He ran off the edge of the building as the Helicopter started shooting at him. Bullets pounded on the roof, following Robin as he ran. He grappled onto a slightly smaller building but kept running. The helicopter hovered over him. Robin then saw a larger building and made up a small plan. The helicopter pilot soon got annoyed at Robin and decided to fire missiles instead. One hit the building Robin was jumping off, sending debris everywhere. Robin used this to his advantage and as the next missile hit a roof-top, he grappled the larger building and moved in the smoke. The Helicopter pilot lost sight of him, his searchlight skimming every roof-top of the outskirt buildings. Just as his hopes ran high of him actually killed Robin they quickly ran low as Robin jumped of the larger building. His staff in hand he quickly brought it down into the Helicopter window. Robin pulled the window out and grabbed the pilot by the neck. He dropped the helpless man to the ground, not caring if he was dead or alive. Robin replaced the pilot and decided to head for his equipment.


	6. The Taking of Wayne Manor

The Helicopter flew over the city, Gotham was a wreck. Robin couldn't see how bad it really was until he was high up in the air. He decided not to fly to close to any other copter or near Harley's building. He directed the Helicopter near the edges of Gotham, pretending to be on a patrol watch.

"So your alive then?" Oracle asked, reconnecting communication.

"Yeah, I've also got a lift" Robin laughed. He could see the Harbour from his position. It was a rickety old wooden place that was held above water level by huge columns underneath. The main building was surrounded by the similar red and black trucks and many Clown Faces with guns and grenades preparing to attack. "You were right Barbs, Harley has the place surrounded"

"Ermmm ... You might want to get away from there" Oracle said with a tone of worry in her voice.

"Why?"

"Look down" Robin did as she asked and found the answer to his question. Walking out of a large group of Clown Face was the so called Crime Queen, Harley Quinn. To Robin, she looked different to what she was when she stormed Wayne Manor. She wore mostly black and wore a veil in mourning for the Joker. Here she was dressed differently: wearing a red corset over a black blouse, handless gloves started at her wrist and ended after her elbows, half black and red pants with the familiar three diamond arrow on the thighs, knee high boots (one was red and the other was black), a belt was around her waist holding up her pants, two holsters were against her thighs holding two chunky guns (similar to the one she use to kill Batman with) and her hair was back to its original blonde ponytails with one of ponytails bottom being red and the other black.

"She likes her red and black" Robin noticed making Oracle chuckle a bit on the other side. Then Harley looked up, Robin looked closely at her pale white face. A sort of cruel beauty was there: bright red lips that could curl into a dangerous smile, a small petite shape face face and features that gives her a sense of innocence and some red make-up at the side of her face (near her eyes) gave her a more circus look. A sense of confusement swept across it making Robin remember what he was doing. He quickly moved the Helicopter as if it was checking the other side of the buildings. Robin looked back to see Harley walk off still looking confused at the chopper.

"Is she gone?" Oracle asked.

"You could have warned me!" Robin said in anger. He concentrated on getting the Helicopter to the Bat-Cave without anymore distractions. Robin came up slowly on the ruined manor house. Most of the roof had cave in and some of the front wall had collapsed onto the grounds. All the windows had smashed and their was obvious traces of a fire had been started. The main gates had been completely flattened by Harley's forces and most of the grounds had been destroyed by gun-fire. Robin landed the Helicopter in a fire-scorched bit of grass and exited the transport.

"Barbara can you see this?" Robin asked, holding his finger up to the communicator.

"No, there aren't any camera's near the manor" Oracle said. Robin looked down at the ground then to the Helicopter. He saw something metal on the empty pilot seat. He walked up to it and grabbed it. It looked like a hearing aide combined with half of a pair of glasses. "Barbs, I've found some kind of device. If I describe it can you tell me what it is?"

"I'll do my best"

"Its like a communicator except it has a half a pair of glasses on it. The lense is clear and looks like something from a sci-fi movie" Robin explained the device. He could hear Oracle typing the details into her computer. "Have you got anything?"

"Yes, it seems to be a EYE-CAM. It acts like a communicator and the lense acts like a camera." Oracle explained the device further.

"Can we use it?"

"Yes all you have to do it set the frequency on the EYE-CAM to my frequency. Then I can contact you through it and see what your seeing"

"Great, just give me a second" Robin twiddled with the EYE-CAM. He found a lid to the communicator and opened it to show a frequency dial. Robin turned the dial to the right frequency. He replaced his old communicator with the EYE-CAM. "Can you hear me?"

" ... Give me ... a bit ... set it to ..." The CAM fuzzed in Robin's ear, making it hard ti understand Oracle.

"Barbs?"

"I said give me a minute" Oracle was clear now, Robin could hear what she was saying.

"How about the camera?"

"Operational just lower the lense in front of your eye cause all I'm seeing is the night sky"

"Sorry" Robin said pulling down the lense in front of his eye. All of a sudden the lense turned a copper colour and circles highlighted over certain objects and small details came up beside them. "Oracle this is cool"

There was no reply. "Oracle?"

Still no reply. Robin looked closer into the lense and remembered that it acted as a camera as well. "You've seen the manor house"

"Yeah, it's ruined" Oracle sniffled. "My room, my books, my entire life was in that house"

"It's OK, I'm in the same vote" Robin said. Robin headed towards the front door with his new technology. The EYE-CAM highlighted black marks on the unhinged door, the details saying that it was fire what caused the marks. Robin walked inside to find half of the lobby underneath rubble and the other half black from fire. The entrance to the Bat-cave was underneath the rubble. "Oracle is there another way into the Bat-cave because the portrait entrance is under rubble"

"There's the grounds entrance round the back of the manor. You could try that, I'll give you more info when you get there"

"Thanks Barbs" Robin looked round the lobby and decided to check out the dining room. He opened the door and to his shock he saw the backs of two thugs, hiding out in the room.

"Why are we here again?" one of them said.

"Boss wants us to stay guard just in case they come for him" the other one said gruffly, as if it was a known fact.

"They?" the first one replied confusingly.

"You know, Quinn!" Robin was eager to listen more to the conversation. He quietly closed the door and hid behind one of the many broken statues.

"Why would Harley Quinn want the Boss?"

"Why would she want Freeze and Bane?" The gruff one replied with a rhetorical question. Robin decided this was enough so far and sneaked up behind the two thugs and crashed there heads together, knocking them out.

"What was that all about?" Oracle asked.

"Quinn's kidnapping people, I presume. We knew that she had Freeze for some reason and now it seems she has managed to tame Bane" Robin explained. "I also saw some Clown Faces taking some Inmates off the streets as the helicopter attacked me."

"Strange why would she need Inmates and Bane?"

"Bodyguards?"

"Tim, she single handily killed the most respected cop in town, my Father, and Batman. On the same night. No one would want to go near her"

"Right, I'm sorry"

"I'm over it" Oracle said harshly. Her Father was Commissioner James Gordon.

Robin moved forward through to the Library where he met a larger group of Thugs, all of them wearing scrubs but each of them had a penguin spray-painted on them.

"Who's That?" one of them said alerting the others. All five of them looked up at Robin and rushed for a weapon. "They've found us"

"Great" Robin breathed out as they all charged at him. He brought out his staff and ran to the oncoming thugs. The first two were hit in the face with the staff and were knocked backwards. Robin then jumped and grabbed another's head and brought it to his knee, knocking him out. The one who spotted him came down with a dagger, Robin grabbed his hand and pushed upwards with his other, breaking it. Before the thug could scream, Robin head-butted him and he fell to the floor. The remaining three recovered holding guns in front of one of the bookcases. Robin laughed and grabbed his grapple and threw it at the top of the bookcase and tugged. The bookcase fell and crushed the three thugs.

"Having fun, Tim?" Oracle said over the EYE-CAM.

"In a way" Robin replied, getting ready to head for the next room. "Oracle, does this EYE-CAM have any other features?"

"It has heat seeking, night-vision plus a scan mode which means if you scan a footprint or material you can trace where they lead or come from"

"Thanks for that" Robin said and ended communication. He flipped through the modes seeing if there was anything in the next room. When he reached the heat mode, he found four thugs just outside a weak wall. "Instead of going through the door how about I make an entrance"

Robin walked up to the wall and brought out a small canister. He was about to spray a huge 'R' on the wall when he realised it was empty.

"Why is my explosive gel empty?" he asked Oracle.

"I said you were in short-supply. That's why I sent you there in the first place. Rather it be their with low-level thugs than Harley where she will kill you" Oracle explained her motives.

Robin turned around to see another bookcase near-by. "It's OK, I've found my wall breaker." Robin grappled the top of the bookcase and rushed to the other side. He ran up the bookcase pushing it down, as it fell he gripped the grappling rope tight as he rode the bookcase. The case smashed into the weak wall and crushed the two thugs nearest and the debris knocked out the other two.

"You do like to make a mess!" Oracle said. Robin laughed as he walked out into the grounds. The beautifully designed gardens were trampled on and blown up by random explosions. "Now the entrance is the well in the centre of the garden"

Robin was about to head off when he heard the sound of a walky-talky activate. 'Group One, are you there?'

"Looks like I found the person in charge" Robin said as he picked up the walky-talky.

'Group One, answer now'

Robin looked at the walky-talky. "Who could Harley possibly be after?" Robin asked himself.

'Listen, you'd better answer other wise I swear to god you flesh will be dangling from your bones'

"Shut Up!" Robin said as he took the frequency pack from the back and placed it in his glove allowing him to hear all of the Thugs frequency. He headed for the well and saw a shadow next to it. It was the head thug leaning over the well, his large automatic gun strapped to his side. Robin wanted just to knock him out and just get to Mr. Freeze before Alfred dies. But Robin noticed he was talking into the well.

"What are you doing?" Robin said startling the man.

"What the ..." the thug said but went back to the well. 'Groups one, two and three retreat to base.' the head thug tried calling for back-up.

"No use, their all gone"

"She's found us. Oh My God she is going to kill us!" he shouted down to the well. Robin was about to to attack the thug when a hissing sound replied to the man's shout. "No it wasn't me I did everything I could" the thug screamed.

"Who are you talking to?" Robin asked ready to strike when the man turned round to him.

"You, it's your fault. Now your going to die!" The man charged but Robin was quick, pushing him with his staff. Pushing him over the well wall.

"Aaaahhhhhhh!" the thug fell with a thud. The hissing sound came again and the thug screamed with a terrifying echo as something broke open his throat.

Robin jumped down the well to see the lights already active and all systems operational. The huge circular grate floor over the caves huge lake seemed mouldy and dark. The slimy cave walls had computer monitors edged into them.

"Robin, what has happened?" Oracle asked. "I've gone dark!"

"The Bat-Cave is operational. Before I arrived." Robin explained. The hissing continued to grow louder.

"What is that noise?" Oracle asked.

"A pest infection!" Robin said as the grates beneath him rumbled. Just as the grates burst open, Robin jumped into the air and landed on the opposite edge of the circle. He looked at the broken grate floor where water spewed over revealing a large scaly green arm.

"Aaaa Pesssssttt, Ammmmm Iiiii" someone said underneath the water. Then another scaly arm popped out of the grate, both arms pressed upwards on the floor allowing the head of Killer Croc appear. Soon his entire body was out of the water and his reptile feet moulded itself into the floor. His ripped muscles shimmered in the false light and his long crocodile tale swung in the air. His teeth sharp and stained with the blood of the head thug.

"Tiiiiiimmmeee fffffoorrr thhheeee HUNT!"


	7. BOSS: KILLER CROC

With every footstep Croc took, Robin mimicked. His trusty staff in position, ready to strike at the monster in front of him.

"Sssooooo thissss isss theee hoomme offf Batttmmaaan!" Croc stated. His hissing slurred his words.

"Then why are you here?" Robin asked, he crouched down as if he was about to pounce.

"Hiiiddinnnng"

"What?" Robin laughed. "Killer Croc is hiding from Harley Quinn"

"Shhhheee takkkessss peeopplle, innnnn theeee niiggghhhtt" Croc looked away from Robin. "Ssshhhheee took my hhoooommme!"

"And you find this place!" Robin finished the story.

"Onnnneee of myyy greatttessst dissscoverrrieeessss" Croc laughed.

"Big words, you have been learning by your mistakes"

"Iiiitttt wasssss myyyy mistsstake talllkinngg toooo you" Croc said sharpening his claws on the stone wall. Sparks appeared as the claw hit the cave wall.

"Tell me this before I apparently die" Robin sarcastically said. "How did you managed to persuade Penguin to give you some of his goons when Harley Quinn's forces are at his front door?"

"Cooobbbbllleeeepppooottt, hheeee haaaddd theemmm uuuppp forrrrr exxxeecccutiiooon, I ssssaved thheeemmm!" Croc stepped over the bleeding body of the head thug. "Buuutttt theeeyyy faiiilllleed mmmeeee annnnndddd Iiiiii goooootttt ppppeckkkisssssh!"

Robin became a bit annoyed with Croc's change of mind over his thugs. "So you've become so scared of Harley you have to get bodyguards"

"Yyyoouuuu hhaavvvveee noooooo Iiddeeeaaa whhhaaattttt shheeeeee iissss plaaannninnnnggggg!"

And at that moment, Croc lunged at Robin. His claws outstretched. Robin ducked and rolled underneath Croc as he rushed by. Croc realised this and twirled around, swinging his tail. The tail knocked Robin down to the ground. Robin's staff flew across the panelled floor. Robin recovered quick and rushed to his staff but Croc grabbed hold of his neck and flung him against a wall. Robin landed chest first, his rib cage hurting. No serious damage was done.

"C'mmmmooonnnnn Bbbiiiiirrdddyyyyy, ffllllllyyyy innnnttoooo mmyyyyy mooouuttthhhh!" Croc laughed.

Robin landed on his feet and analysed the situation. Croc was strong and powerful in close combat, speed was his weakness. Robin knew how to beat Killer Croc, Bruce had taught him how. Robin gazed at the scaly fiend in front of him and charged. Robin never usually made the first move, he would always react. Croc charged at Robin, mimicking him. Robin came closer and closer to Croc, he only had one chance to attack otherwise he would be dead. As soon as their at arms reach of each other, Robin jumped and pressed his feet on Croc. Instead of pushing against Croc he simply started to use his body like stairs, walking up till his feet reached his face. Croc was confused, he was bending backwards not knowing what to do. Robin landed both feet on his shoulders and with all his strength, pulled Croc's head and flipped him over. Croc landed with a crash as half of the grated circle broke and dived into the water. Croc was laying on the side of the grate, tired from Robin's move.

"Worn out Croc!" Robin said. Croc didn't reply with words more like a furious hiss. Robin quickly grabbed his staff and brought it down on Killer Croc's head, knocking him unconscious. Robin walked away from the Croc and headed towards the armoury room.

"Oracle, I'm still here" Robin said, reconnecting the EYE-CAM.

"Damn it, I still can't see" Oracle said. "It must be the Bat-Cave's jamming signal. It affects anything but its technology"

"Well guess who I've just met"

"Am I going to like this?"

"Not in the slightest" Robin joked as he passed the main computer of the cave. "It was Killer Croc"

"Waylon?" Oracle said confused. "Why was he in the Bat-Cave?"

"Harley's after him. He ran to Penguin but double-crossed him and took the thugs that were meant to be executed. I presume he came running to Wayne Manor and because of his reptile nature jumped down the well, hoping to get to the sewers"

"That would explain it"

Robin found the armoury, a small secluded room chiselled into a cave wall. Inside were glass tubes filled with different outfits for both Batman and Robin. Two tubes were empty, Robin's current suit and the suit Bruce Wayne died in two years before. There were shelves filled with different technology, gas canisters and essentials for fighting crime. Robin replaced all of his old prototypes with the new improved ones, Oracle had just finished these when she was forced to evacuate.

"So, got your equipment?" Oracle asked.

"Yeah, they seem to be in better condition as well"

"Well you aren't just there for the equipment"

"What?" Robin asked confused at Oracle's statement.

"Your suit needs replacing!"

"What's wrong with my suit?" Robin asked, looking up at his hood and swinging round the cape so he could see the problem.

"There's a better one" Oracle said with pride in her voice. "The one at the back"

Robin looked at the glass tube. Inside was a similar looking suit to what he was wearing except it was all black. The only colour on it was the red 'R', on the left of its chest. The cape was swung over the back of the outfit, the hood was more defined than the one Robin was wearing. The familiar style belt of Batman hung round its waist but had no symbol on the buckle. Another staff was next to it, it was a cold steel colour. The outfits gloves were similar to Batman's since it had spikes on the sides of them. The pants and boots were the same.

"You changed the colour" Robin seemed unimpressed.

"I have not!"

"Then what?"

"This outfit is bulletproof, can withstand temperatures up to that equal to the Sahara Desert and is more suitable for hiding in the dark; just like Batman use to do" Oracle explained, still proud with her work.

"It's perfect Barbara" Robin said, striding towards his new suit. After spending twenty minutes replacing his old suit with the more advanced suit, Robin grabbed hold of the blue staff only for it to break apart. Robin in panic thought he had broke it until Oracle buzzed through the EYE-CAM.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your new fighting staff breaks apart into two separate but smaller rods"

"I thought I broke it!" Robin said annoyed.

"You'd better not!" Oracle laughed. Robin too laughed and placed the two rods back together. The long blue staff then shrunk into its smaller form and Robin clicked it to his belt.

Robin walked into the main area of the Bat-Cave and looked at the still unconscious Croc. Robin thought for a while and decided on something Oracle would kill him for. He brought out his old communicator and left it by Killer Croc's side. He then set the main computer to activate a message, when Croc wakes up, telling him to activate the communicator.

Robin quickly grappled the roof of the well and climbed out of the Bat-Cave. Robin then headed for the Helicopter.


	8. That One Ally

Robin rushed out of the ruined manor house and headed straight to the Helicopter. His new outfit blended into the darkness, if anybody tried they couldn't see him. Robin climbed into the Helicopter when a large horn sounded through out Gotham. Everyone looked up to Wayne Enterprises. A giant light came up over the building, like a giant projection.

The projection then became the image of Harley Quinn, she was addressing her 'City'. Robin recognised the cruel beauty in her face as she smiled to the homeless criminals below.

"Hello Gotham!" her high voice could be seen as irritating to a few people but Robin could tell that she was serious when she spoke. "It seems we have a few problems going through my city."

"Are you getting this Oracle?"

"Yes"

"A few of you lot have seemed to have fallen out of the law I placed down. Like you know, smuggling weapons to the large eyed FREAK at the Harbour, keeping the whereabouts of that half scorched corpse and the man-eating PARASITE SECRET WHILST MY FORCES ATTEMPT TO FIND THEM!"

"She seems angry" Oracle stated over the phone.

"On the other hand, I have a message for all of my followers; I have a missing chopper and that will be the second this month. Losing my property makes me ANGRY!" Harley brought out one of her men, he was gagged and his head was exposed. Harley quickly grabbed her gun from her holster and aimed it at the thug's bold head. The large echo of her gun firing travelled through the city. "BRING ME BACK THAT CHOPPER OR I WILL BLAST YOUR BRAINS OUT!"

The projection shrivelled up and ended.

"Seems like her word is law" Robin said to Oracle, starting up the Helicopter as well.

"She has this place under her watch"

"I guess it is going to be trickier now she knows about the missing chopper"

"It was only a matter of time, she saw you earlier in it" Oracle made Robin remember the incident earlier on in the night.

"So the plan is to get to Penguin and get the Bat-mobile as a diversion for Harley" Robin said.

"Correct" Oracle replied. "But be careful not only is the helicopter your using being watched out for. You will also be entering a turf war, the place will be on high security"

"I'll try my best" Robin said, taking off in the helicopter. The helicopter flew over buildings and roads, Inmates crawled the streets trying to run from Harley.

"Robin"

"Yes Barbs"

"I'm picking up chatter on the old GCPD scanners" Oracle explained. There was a brief pause in the conversation as Oracle try to clear up the frequency. "Someone's using the frequency to talk to each other"

"Why use that system, haven't they got their own frequency"

"It seems communication in Gotham is expensive now, I know the phone lines are down and the only way to contact each other is by a hand-held communicator. It's quite ingenious using the old scanner frequency, Harley Quinn has probably forgotten about it."

"So what's the chatter saying?" Robin asked, still trying to fly without being noticed by other helicopters, prowling the skies.

"Just wait, sky ... noise ... we should ... missile ... the helicopter. ROBIN!"

At that precise moment, Robin heard it coming. A rocket was shooting straight for it coming from what seemed to be the old Cathedral. Robin did what first came into his mind and turned the chopper. The rocket impacted mostly against the left hand side and tail. Robin's head smashed into the side window as the impact shuddered the entire transport. The helicopter lost air as the flaming tail went upwards. The aircraft was falling straight down into the ground, Robin pulled up. The impact zone would be a block of flats about sixteen streets away from the Harbour. As the helicopter was about a minute away, Robin reacted quickly again and grabbed his grapple gun. He aimed for a suitable building but nothing came along.

"Robin get out of there!"

"Give me a second Barbara!" Robin shouted. No suitable building came up, the impact was only seconds away. Then he saw it, the rooftop with pipes sticking out of it in loops. He shot the gun when he was five seconds away from death. Four seconds left, Robin prepared to jump. Three seconds left, Robin pushed himself out of the flaming chopper. Two seconds left, Robin activated the grapple and was pulled closer to the building. One second left, he prepared for the debris. The helicopter hit the building and the top four floors went up in a massive explosion. Rubble, metal shards and flaming objects were shot at Robin as he sailed through the air. The impact of the explosion made Robin loose grip of his grapple gun and he was left tumbling through the air.

"Use your cape to glide!" Oracle screamed, seeing what was happening to Robin. Robin came up close to a rooftop when something on fire shoved him to the ground. Robin passed out.

* * *

Robin woke up with someone's boots clinging against the floor. The flaming wreckage was darted all around the rooftop, the boots seemed to get louder. Robin's vision was blurred and his body was aching all over. Beeping sounds filled his ears then came the sound of a voice.

"Is he one of them?" a fuzzy voice said.

"I wouldn't say he is" A woman's voice replied. She was clear and crisp making Robin think if she was on a walky-talky "By the way he's dressed I'd say he more likely a skilled thief"

"Well get rid of him, none of my stuff is getting taken" the fuzzy voice said. Then the owner of the woman's voice came into view. Robin looked from her feet upwards. Her boots and pants were similar to Harley Quinn's with one half of each being a different colour to the other. But her main body was covered with a thick black leather jacket zipped up to the top. She wore gloves, one was black and the other red (the red one was never to far away from her pistol holster on her thigh). Then Robin saw her face, she looked younger than he was. Possibly eighteen. Her face was small: with round brown eyes, tight lips and eyebrows that gives up her emotions on every occasion. Her black and red hair was tied up into a ponytail in which the bottom of the tail reached the bottom of her back. She carried with her a belt of grenades, a small knife (that was strapped to her leg) and the empty rocket launcher used to bring down the helicopter was resting on her right shoulder.

Her eyes gazed over Robin, trying to detect a sign of who he was. Then she saw the 'R'. "You can't be"

"Can't be who?" Robin said making her jump.

"Are you Tim Drake?"

"How do you ..."

"AKA Robin?"

"Well your right for both of them" Robin groaned.

"Well then" She gasped, Robin could tell that she was cold cause he could see her breath form patterns in the air.

"You shot me down!"

"Accident!" She said turning round. Robin used the debris next to him to stand on both his feet.

"You aimed at the Helicopter!" Robin said as he walked up to the woman ready to take her down. But he found her staring at the horizon. He looked too, to find that she was actually looking at the city. The eerie glow, the fog covering its streets and the burning smoke rising into the air as Inmates and Thugs fight it out.

"Welcome back to Gotham City, Robin" she said, no emotion in her voice.


	9. Eyes around Gotham

Robin didn't trust the woman next to him. Her weapons gleamed in the eerie lights and her hair looked like snakes in the shadows. The woman then turned her head to show the tired eyes and fierce confidence running through them.

"The names Red, by the way, Red Hood" Red placed her hand out to Robin who stared at it with serious doubt. She saw the doubt in her and placed her hand by her side. "Look I know you don't trust me, well after I shot your Helicopter down and almost killed you why shouldn't you trust me. But you see I can help"

"You work for Harley" Robin stated. Red looked down at her pants to see the similar colour scheme to the Crime Queen.

"Use to" Red said. A look of disappointment spread across her face. "I ran away from her after she tried to have me go on a suicide mission"

"Suicide mission?"

"She sent me to try and find the Riddler, after she sent her top three thieves after him and they all ended up dead!" Red began to panic her point of view.

"Harley has thieves" Robin said. Red looked at him as if it wasn't known.

"Yeah, a group of twenty-five inmates, with expert training of burglary were taken from Blackgate Prison and placed in trials against each other. We had to fight each other till their was only eight of us left, I was the only female which made Harley take a shine to me. So when she made me go after Riddler, I made it clear that it was suicide and I left" Red started to tear up and she looked away. Robin felt like they had something in common: a hatred for Harley Quinn, Harley Quinn has a vendetta against both her and him plus they are running round Gotham like fugitives.

"I understand" Red looked up to reveal her confidence strong face shattered, revealing a weaker yet emotional woman.

"I spent weeks in hiding, taking out whatever Harley sent at me" Red stood up and wiped away the tears. She removed the rocket launcher from her shoulder and threw it over the side of the building. "That's when I found the League of Assassins."

"The League of Assassins?" Robin asked as he looked over the wreckage of the Helicopter.

"Yeah, it's the group of trained assassins and killers led by Ra's al Ghul. They found me and recruited me as a Rogue Assassin for hire. Today I received a mission from Ra's daughter, Talia, telling me to shoot down a Helicopter flying round the Harbour. That unfortunately was you"

"Talia, the woman who was Bruce Wayne's lover wanted to get me killed" Robin asked, still looking in the wreckage. He felt like something was missing, he looked over his suit but everything was there and intact.

"Look I didn't know it was you. If it was you I'd probably want to find out what you were doing in Gotham" Red said, gazing at her pistol.

"Well, it doesn't matter" Robin said, smiling at the girl. Red smiled back and placed her pistol back into her holster. "I was only using the chopper to get into the Harbour anywhere"

"The Harbour, why?"

"Penguin has something I need. Something that will distract Harley Quinn enough allowing me into Wayne Enterprises and speak to Mr. Freeze"

"You want to get to Penguin, who told you to do that?" Red joked, sparking something in Robin's mind. He placed his hand to his ear to find the EYE-CAM was gone.

"Damn it, I've lost her"

"Lost who?" Red said with a certain interest and seriousness.

"My eyes around Gotham"

"I can do that for you"

"Really?" Robin looked at Red, hoping she had found the EYE-CAM.

"Well not me but I know someone who can keep you posted on Harley and the others" Robin was tempted to go for the offer straight away. But he decided to think about the positives and negatives about this choice. He needed an eye on Gotham if he was to succeed in any of his goals but then Red could be leading him into a trap. He quickly decided knowing he had little time.

"Fine take me to them now!" Robin said sternly. Red smiled and jumped off the roof, her heavy gun and hair flying through the air. Robin was about to walk off the edge when he saw his grapple gun and picked it up. He then placed his hands on his new cape and glided down into the dark alleys of Gotham.

Red was in front of him, checking round corners in case any of Harley's forces came looking at the crash site. Robin ducked and ran across streets as Red lead him past Wayne Enterprises and many other buildings under Harley Quinn's control. Red finally slowed down as they came up to the Cathedral Robin saw earlier.

"Recognise it?" Red asked as Robin gawked.

"Isn't that St. Bernards Cathedral?" Robin asked, trying to remember Gotham as it used to be. Red nodded, answering his question.

"She's usually inside" Red said as she charged over the street and opened the Cathedral doors, Robin on her heels. As they were safe in the old building, Robin looked round to see glass broken and the only light available was by torchlight. Benches were flipped over and the main organ was hanging to the upper floor as it seemed to have fallen out of place.

"Robin, I would like you to meet ..." Red said but was cut off.

"Timothy Drake!" A sharper voice cut Red off. The voice had a thick european accent and sounded like a female warrior. Then the owner walked out of the shadows revealing herself: she had olive skin, brown hair and the only clothes she wore were her tight black pants, biker jacket and boots. She carried with her a long blade that seemed to be old with history.

"That'd be me" Robin replied. "Who are you?"

The woman walked closer to him, placing her hand under his chin. "The only woman who made the Dark Knight weak at the knees"

"TALIA AL GHUL!"


	10. Talia Al Ghul

"Your still alive!"

"My father's Lazarus Pit was good for something" Talia said with a wicked coldness in her voice.

"So if your alive, why couldn't you use it on Batman" Robin asked in disgust.

"The pit only works for those who have been dead for a short time, Batman's body is still missing and he has been dead for two years. It is to late"

"You lead me to her!" Robin shouted at Red. Red stood in between the boy wonder and the legendary assassin trainer, her forehead covered in sweat.

"She can help!"

"Do you know how many times she has tried to kill me?" Robin screamed. "Never mind when she ordered to shoot me down. Talia's eyebrows creased in confusion.

"I can guess but ..."

"NO BUTS!" Robin shouted, scaring Red. Red started moving back towards Talia, her hand hovering over her pistol. "How can you trust her after our conversation?"

"Because she fought against her father to take me in!" Red shouted. Her palm was now gripping the handle of her pistol.

"You see, Timothy" Talia walked more towards Red and passed her hand over Red's shoulders. "I can see talent and little Red Hood here has it. She can whip out her pistol before you can even say 'BANG'" Talia gripped Red's shoulders as if they were sisters.

"So you persuaded him to take her in?"

"Correct"

"By bragging about her talent with a gun!" Talia breathed out deeply and her face seemed displeased at Robin's comment.

"She has a gift and we don't wish to exploit it." She smiled at Red and moved forward. "Why are you here, Tim?" Talia asked gazing deep into the boy wonder's eyes. She sent a chill down his spine making him cringe. Robin did not answer.

"He needs an eye on Gotham whilst he completes some personal goals" Red explained.

"What goals would that be?" Talia became concerned for both Red and Robin. Robin saw the change in emotion and became scared at Talia's certain change in emotion. Robin didn't dare answer. This made Talia flip and before Robin could react, Talia's blade was by his throat. He could feel the energy it pulsed out, the stubble on his neck began to tingle. "Why are you in Gotham?"

"Alfred's dying" Robin whispered. Talia seized up as if heartstrings had broken. Red didn't understand who or what was going on. "The only one who can heal him is Freeze, who is being held prisoner by Harley Quinn"

"How can I help?" Talia said bring down the sword and gazing into Robin's eyes.

"Why do you want to help Alfred?"

"Bruce was very fond of him. I didn't do well to Bruce when he was alive and this would make up my debt to him, perhaps" Talia placed the sword back in it's case. She walked to the back off the Cathedral and brought out Batman's old communicator. "Bruce lost this on one of his missions and I have been working on it to work in Gotham's jamming zones."

Robin accepted the communicator and placed it in his ear.

"You'll be able to hear me and Red whenever in Gotham now"

"I need to get to Penguin" Robin said making Talia jump. "He's at the Harbour and is surrounded by Harley."

"I'll help you get in there but dealing with the man himself you'll be on your own"

"Thank You, Talia"

"Take Red with you, she'll be a good asset to you" Talia smiled a beautiful smile and walked away. Red was sat on a upside down bench waiting for Talia and Robin's conversation to end.

"I'm sorry Robin" Red was sad again. Robin could tell she hated doing wrong.

"You did good, Red" Robin smiled making her smile. "How about we go kick some Penguin boot!"

"Wouldn't miss it"


	11. A Distraction is needed

Robin and Red left the Cathedral and rushed across the street, just missing one of Harley's Patrol Vans. They placed their backs to the wall of an alleyway and watched the van drive off.

"Their probably on their way to the helicopter crash" Robin said smiling at Red, a few strands of hair were stuck against her sweating forehead. She then reached inside her her jacket pocket and brought out a small ear piece. She handed it to Robin who placed it in his right ear.

"That's a rare piece of equipment" Red said, giving Robin a cheeky grin. "Handless devices aren't easy to come by so look after it"

"I'll try" Robin laughed thinking about how he had lost his previous two forms of communication to Oracle.

"Come in, Tim, are you there?" The communicator buzzed. Talia was trying to speak to him.

"Talia, I hear you"

"Good" her thick accent made Robin understand how Bruce (Batman) fell for her. "With this device I can communicate to both you and Red. It also allows you and Red to keep in touch when you split up."

"Can it pick up other frequencys?" Robin asked. Making Red look confused.

"The only frequency I've got is the one Harley Quinn uses to speak to her advanced forces" Robin was impressed, although it was only one it was an important one. "You can thank Red for that"

Red blushed a bit and moved away from the wall, grappling to the roof of a building. Robin laughed and followed her.

They reached the main warehouses surrounding the Harbour and observed the people below. Harley's force had multiplied giving more tension to Penguin's force who were positioned around the building.

"We need a way in" Robin said to Red.

"We need a distraction more like" Both Talia and Red said at the same time, showing off their trained knowledge.

"What kind of distraction?"

"Something that will startle them but also break a hole in their positions" Red said, Talia humming down the communicator (agreeing with her old apprentice).

"It looks like that the Clown Faces are keeping a steady position whilst Penguin's goons are walking around the upper levels" Talia said. Robin looked at the Harbour to see Talia was right. The Clown Faces were holding a stable ring round the complex whilst most of Penguin's thugs were hurrying about, looking for a suitable target.

"Guess you are my eye around Gotham then. Not someone who nags down the line" Robin joked, making Red laugh.

"Funny!" Talia did not sound pleased. "Red will know what to do, all you have to do is wait for the signal"

"What's the signal?" Robin said looking over at Red who was standing up, looking at her belt.

"A big bang!" Red laughed. Red then brought a circular gadget and lined it up with the tallest part of the Harbour. She pressed the button and a line shot out from both sides of the gadget. One end of the line hit the building next to Robin whilst the other end hit the roof of the Harbour. "Wait here till you see the signal then climb down the line!" Red said as the Clown Faces started firing at the Penguin's Goons on the balcony.

Red smiled at the boy wonder as she clipped herself onto the wire and let go off the roof. Her feet sailed through the air as she headed for the Harbour. Robin's heart leaped as she skimmed past thugs on both sides and landed on the roof. She didn't turn round but continued until she was covered in darkness.

"She's going to be fine, Robin" Talia said over the line. Robin wanted to believe that but the image of Harley killing one of her own men ran through his mind. If she could kill one of her own men without even blinking an eye, what would stop her from killing him, Red or Talia.

"The last time I heard some of them words" Robin said to Talia with deep emotion in his voice. "The person who said it jumped in front of a bullet to save a man who was also killed five seconds afterwards"

"Your not the only one to be hurt by his death, Tim" Robin felt sad all of a sudden. But he then became distracted as sounds of bullets were being fired from the Harbour. Red was running round the corner holding two automatic rifles and was firing behind her, killing a couple of thugs. She was fearless as she ran through the Clown Faces taking a lot of them out. But all of this was a distraction as she shot a group of fuel barrels and it exploded in a cloud of flames and smoke. The top floor of the Harbour was the only safe place left. Robin saw this as the signal so Robin quickly grabbed hold of the line and pushed himself off the building.


	12. The Fiery Route

Robin dodged the flames and embers rising towards him as he landed on the creaky wood roof. He looked back trying to find Red but she was completely out of site. The tail end of the mob of Clown Faces was all that he could see, he was partially blind from the rising smoke.

"Talia!" he shouted into the communicator.

"Yes"

"Can you get hold off Red, I think she might be cornered!" Robin shouted over the multiple explosions that rocked the very foundation of the Harbour. Penguins thugs, on the outer balconys were either seriously burnt or dead from the blast.

"You know she is trained for this" Talia said as Robin continued to get his grounds. Some more men came round to check the wounded aqnd dead. "She can look after herself"

"I'm only making sure!" Robin shouted, not realising how loud it was on Talia's end. Then the line grew silent as Talia obviously guessed that Robin needed concentration for the serious part. Robin only took one step when flames from below consumed that part of the roof and almost his foot. The roof shuddered as its foundations were burning away and collapsing. The roof then gave way and Robin ran. Every step he took, the roof behind him gave way. He managed to get to the very end of the roof when he fell into the main building of the Harbour.

Robin landed in a dark concrete room, filled with technology and ventilation shafts. He could see the flaming floors above him, the fire had spread quick. Rubble dropped off his back as he stood up, his body aching in pain. Looking down hew saw that his new outfit wasn't ripped, the worst thing that had happened was that rubble was covering the main body areas. Robin checked all of his equipment, checking to see if they there. After this, Robin looked around the room checking for a way out. With failing in his task, Robin asked Talia for help.

"Talia, can you get the schematics for the Gotham Harbour Building?"

"I'll do my best" Her thick accent rubbing into his skin. He didn't even need to see her to become attracted to her. Robin decided to spend his time waiting by sitting on a square looking machine that had a penguin sketched into it. Meaning it belonged to the organised thug, Oswald Cobblepot. "Robin" Talia said after what felt like ten minutes.

"Yes" Robin shouted, standing up and moving the machine back a bit.

"I have the schematics and it seems that the easiest way around the place is through the ventilation system. There is a shaft in every room of the building. I suspecting that Penguin will keep all of his 'prizes' in the main warehouse; the warehouse is directly across from the building your in."

"There is a couple of ventilation shafts in here, which one do I need to take?" Robin asked.

"Can you tell what room you are in?"

Robin looked round again but this time he saw a sign. A piece of bronze nailed to the wall with the words 'Storage One' on it. "Storage One, does that mean anything?"

"Well yes, your on the bottom floor of the building. And since the place is burning to the ground, I suggest you use any of the shafts and follow it!" Talia shouted as a loud crack shuddered the building again. Robin chose a grate and quickly removed it. He looked at the hole in the roof and saw the roof was collapsing even more and was heading for him. He clambered into the shaft and crawled as fast as his knees could take him. The metal skidded on the material of his pants which rubbed on his skin, making it raw and unpleasant to crawl on. Under his hands he could feel the metal of the shaft heating up as fire singed the outside of the metal tube. Then Robin saw a opening in front of him, the shaft was coming to an end and from what he could see, it wasn't going to be pretty. He managed to escape the shaft as the flames above it made it so hot it burnt Robin's hands and knees.

Robin landed in a huge room filled with chairs and tables, the burnt roof had collapsed over most of the room. But not over the main exit of the room which was only a few metres away. But something stopped him, noises came from behind him as he realised that he was standing in front of another door. Robin quickly hid into the darkness of the rubble and debris of the roof as a group of Penguin's thugs came walking in.

"Why the bloody hell is this place on fire?" one of the seven thugs said. They all shrugged.

"Apparently one of Harley Quinn's agents led a strike against the snipers, making a ton of barrels explode and both killing and distracting the snipers so the Clown Faces could get in!" one of them tried to explain but since the total IQ of the seven thugs was just under fifteen, no one really understood what he said.

"Penguin's gonna be pissed!"

"Yeah, most of his stuff was in his office and that part has completely gone up in flames"

"Why are we stood here talking?, this place is about to collapse!"

"We have to make our way to the Warehouse, across the docks, Penguin has ordered everyone to re-group there and make a defence!" Robin without needing to listen anymore quickly seized a small batarang from his belt and swung it at the roof above the thugs. He then stood up and ran for the door, the thugs all noticing him and started to chase him. As soon as Robin reached the door, the batarang hit the roof making it collapse completely. The Boy Wonder just managed to escape the collapsing building however the thugs did not make it out on time.

Robin breathed in the fresh sea air, even in the criminal city of Gotham the sea still remained pure. He walked onto the wooden docks and saw the warehouse being held up by huge pylons underneath the water. Robin first analysed the situation, realising that Penguin had successfully re-grouped and had placed a quick defence up all ready.

"Talia, the place is surrounded. What do the schematics say?"

"Not much, the warehouse is meant for preservation so limited air is allowed into it. The only way in is through the front door" Talia solemnly said. Robin stepped towards the warehouse when he heard the sound of a gun clicking behind him.

"You kill them all, you son of a bitch!" a gruff voice shouted. Robin turned around to see one of the men who were supposed to be under the collapsed roof holding a automatic rifle to his head.

"An 'R'!" the thug said, looking down at Robin's suit. "The boss would love you as one of his prizes!"

"WHAT!" Robin shouted in shock. The thug laughed as his finger trembled over the trigger.

"Or I can just kill you for killing my men!" Robin shuddered as the thugs laughing face became full of revenge and anger. Robin knew the end was coming to him because of his stupidity. The thug re-aimed at Robin's head and was about to press the trigger when a blade with a metal wire attached to the handle embedded itself in the thugs wrist, making him drop the rifle. Robin followed the wire to see Red holding the other end of it (which was a similar blade). She then started to run and twirling the other dagger in the air. When she was close to the thug she skidded to the ground and underneath his legs. The dagger she was twirling became stuck in the thugs leg; his leg gave way as Red tugged hard whilst continuing to skid on the dock floor. The thug fell to the floor giving chance to Red as she bounced of a wooden pole and into the air. The daggers left the thug and twirled in the air, giving Red as sort of majestic pair of wings which soon fell into the thugs neck. The blades stopped him from both shouting and breathing; Red gave him no pity as he died.

"You KILLED him!" Robin tried to shout without alerting the other thugs. "You could have knock him out!"

"If I did that, he would come round later on and cause us trouble with a vengeance for you. Plus I didn't want to kick his ass again" Red said removing the daggers from the thugs throat. The metal blades dripped crimson liquid as Red wrapped it round her waist.

"What is that?" Robin asked.

"Oh this" Red said pointing at her new belt. "Its called a Snakebite Whip"

"Why is it called that?"

"Well, first, its called a whip because of the wire connecting it together" Her hands grabbed both daggers and held them like she was going to drive them down into the thug. Robin thought they resembled the fangs from a snake. "The second part, as I can see that you have figured it out, the daggers resemble the fangs of a snake. Just as lethal as well." she laughed.

"How come you have it?" Robin still shocked from Red's techniques of fighting.

"Well since this weapon was created about six hundred years ago by some guy from the League, the training and use of a Snakebite has become rare. Only four people know how to use one, I'm one of them four and Talia is another"

"The best weapon to bring your soul into your kill" Talia said over the communicator line, making Robin remember that she could hear and see them. "Tell Red she has to be careful with it, its a family possession"

"Talia says be careful with it"

"If she wanted me to be careful with it, she shouldn't have give it me then!" Talia chuckled down the line, Robin felt warmth in hi cheeks as he felt the attraction to Talia again. Everything about her was making him even more attracted to her. Her appearance, her voice, her posture and her entire being made Robin want to be round her or in touch with her. Robin went into deep thought about her and Bruce and how close they had got to each other. It wasn't until Red barged into Robin's shoulder did he return to reality. She walked straight past him and into the shadows, her face not showing but her fists were clenched tightly together as if she had seen someone she absolutely hates. Robin followed her and decided it must have been a group of thugs that shortly came round the corner of the flaming building.

"We have to get out of here!" one of the three thugs said.

"Why?, all we have to do is get to Penguin" another replied. A sharp knife in his hand as he came round the corner.

"Didn't you here what this fire has done?" the last said.

"No!"

"Dude, we'll tell you on the way out"

"I'm not going until you tell me what's wrong" the knife wielding one said in anger, his hand tightened on his knife.

"That psycho bitch is on her way here. The fire has driven the boss and the others into the warehouse, it'll be a massacre"

Robin was listening closely for anymore information on Harley Quinn but he was cut short. Red used his slouched back as a ramp and ran up it and towards the men. She flew through the air with a certain presence of power. The men didn't see her till it was to late. She gripped her pistol and yanked it out the holster, in mid-flight. She shot the first thug in the forehead, killing him. The third one gripped his pistol and shot at Red, who only just dodged it. Red landed on the floor and headed for the knife wielding thug. Robin without thinking rushed to the other thug, kicking him in the chest and into the flaming debris of the Harbour building. Red had just knocked the knife out of the thugs hand when Robin joined in, punching the thug in the face. The thug struggled and started to run to the warehouse which sort of pissed Red off even more. She quickly unwrapped the Snakebite around her waist and started to twirl it in the air until she let it go. It twirled in the air, both daggers glistened in blood and the surrounding embers. The whip soon caught up with the thug and surrounding his legs, embedding both daggers into his waist. The man didn't have time to scream when Red quickly ran up to him and kicked him in the face, knocking him out.

"See you didn't kill him" Robin said with glee.

"He's crippled, he won't bother us anymore" Red removed the Snakebite and place it on her waist. Robin walked past the thug to realise that the daggers and entered his spine, breaking it from what it seemed. They continued to the warehouse and found a broken brick wall for them to hide behind. They observed the main entrance to the warehouse and found five guards with rifles protecting it.

"I'll take the bottom two and you take the three on the railing above" Red said to Robin. Robin sort of began to wonder if he was going on the right path following Red. He knew what he had to do so why did Red want to take the lead to his mission. The two were about to run for their goal when gunshots were heard and the give guards dropped dead.

"What was that?" Robin whispered, sweat covering his face. Then his question was answered as three helicopters came swivelling past, their searchlights on the warehouse. The choppers all had the mark of Harley Quinn on their side. One of the chopper doors opened and there she was. Harley Quinn in all her pride gazing with a horrible smile at the warehouse. She raised her arm and then lowered it down like a knife. Her mouth moved as she gave the order.

"SHOOT TO KILL!" she said in her mentally insane voice.


	13. The Massacre in the Harbour Warehouse

The helicopters started firing rounds of bullets into the warehouse. Thugs screamed and cried as Harley Quinn took her wrath upon the unsuspecting gang. Robin decided that he had to find Penguin before Harley killed him; Robin needed the Bat-Mobile. The surrounding seas battered against the wooden floors of the dock. The boy wonder removed his staff from his belt and extended it to full size. Red looked at the staff, trying to compare it to her whip.

"I need to find Penguin" Robin shouted over the whirling sound of the Helicopters. Men started to climb out of the choppers and down ropes, getting into position for a raid. "Before its too late"

Red looked worried but nodded and said "What do we do?" Robin smiled.

"I need them Helicopters to stop firing at the Warehouse"

"How about they shoot at each other?" Red suggested, the familiar childish smile grew on her face.

"Can you do that?"

"You doubt me!" Red shouted in a high pitched voice. Another reply to Robin was the trained assassin in front of him quickly untangled her whip and ran to the nearest helicopter. She slashed the whip and the sharp silver dagger cut into the metal skin of the thin armour of the chopper. The Helicopter then started to hover across the roof of the Warehouse. Red went flying with it, hitting the side of the building and letting go off her whip. In desperation to complete her task she recovered and darted across the roof, towards the rope.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE?" Harley Quinn shouted, making Robin turn his head to the distraught looking woman. "Don't just stand there, SHOOT HER OR TAKE HER PLACE!" No one started to shoot, it was to confusing for them. Harley Quinn in anger unhooked the machine gun from its user and jumped out of the chopper. She turned in mid-air and aimed the machine gun at her own men. The pattern of bullets hit the Helicopter with the elegant beauty yet killer touch of the person who was pulling the trigger. The other choppers saw what Harley was doing and did not want the same to happen to them. They found Red, still running on the roof, and started aiming for her. Each bullet missed her feet by millimetres. Harley Quinn landed on the roof, back facing Red, yet she was still firing at the chopper till it exploded and crashed into the sea below.

Robin saw this as his chance and darted to the warehouse door. His fighting staff in hand, he dodged the stray bullets from the choppers as the wind was pushing him towards them. Some bullets even deflected off his staff and Robin saw this as his advantage. He separated his staff into two and deflected stray bullets into the chopper, trying to help Red. Robin made it to the warehouse door which was badly shot and was almost breaking apart. The boy wonder pressed a button at the side and the doors creaked open. Robin stepped inside the wrecked building. Glass, wood and burst pipes were sprayed across the floor. Water was gushing out of the broken pipes making it hard to see in the heavy water pour. The sprays were thick and almost resembled a heavy rain storm. Robin stepped over the massacred bodies of Penguin's Thugs. He held his breath as he looked amongst the dead for Penguin. He searched them all and luckily, Penguin was not amongst them.

"Robin can you here me?" Talia communicated with him.

"Yes, I'm in the warehouse" he looked in the darkness and listened to the gun fight outside. This was a good side, knowing that Red was still alive. "Harley Quinn arrived in Helicopters and massacred anyone by the door."

"She really wants Penguin dead"

"She wants total control" Robin guessed making Talia hum in thought. "Two-Face, Penguin and the other super villains obviously don't like to follow orders"

"As I see on the map I have here. The warehouse has a second floor, a management floor" Talia said. Robin looked up, multiple holes patterned the roof. A dark shape past by some of them and Robin realised that Harley was still here. The second floor had an observation panel. Robin grabbed his grapple and shot it at the panels. He pulled himself up and grabbed the top of the panel only to see the bag of a Thug. He was standing in front of a doorway. Robin saw a sign that read 'Records Office'.

"Hurry up with that frickin' thing. Don't you know Joker's bitch is right on top of us!" the sound of a old man's croaky voice shouted through the room. Penguin's voice.

"Be patient Cobblepot" a more manic voice replied. "There is nothing to fear ... Well, Ha Ha"

"Your my only liability with her, I swear if I go down, I'll bloody make sure your going down as well!"

"Hahahahahahahaha!" the manic person laughed. To Robin this mystery person sounded crazier every time he spoke.

"What you laughing at now?"

"I cannot save you, Cobblepot"

"You said you could!" Penguin sounded annoyed and scared. The thug in front of Robin became stiff in fright as well. "You said if I traded you that, you would reason with her and spare me!"

"She will only listen to me in one case, you aren't that special!"

"You dare gloat in front of me!" Penguin's breathing became louder.

"I fear that I am" the mad person said. "All I wanted was this, if you want a way out? ..."

"KILL HIM!"

"Try the window!, hahahahahahahahaha!" the mad person laughed and was shortly followed by the sound of a window breaking. The laughing died down and Robin could tell that Penguin was alone, apart from the thug.

"Bloody brilliant!" Robin decided his time was now and pushed himself on top of the rail. His hand outreached he grabbed the thug by the collar and tugged. The thug fell backwards over the rail and down to the floor, knocking him out. Penguin became shocked and confused as Robin jumped over the rail.

"Cobblepot, I need something that you have" Robin said looking at the extremely dangerous man in front of him. A small man, roughly just coming under Robin's chest, his face old and disfigured from the large beer glass shoved into his left eye and his big winter coat covered up most of his body. He walked around with a black umbrella which contains a loaded gun ready to fire.

"Everyone wants what I've got" Penguin gruffly said, referring back to the manic man who jumped out the window. "What is it that you want? BOY!"

"The Bat-Mobile!"

"That hunk of junk!"

"Yes, I'll take it now" Robin was about to leave the office when Penguin's umbrella shot of a bullet, closing the door. Robin turned around to see the small man smiling. "Let me go, Oswald!"

"I don't like people bossing me around, that would be twice today if I let you go"

"Seriously just let me have the car and I'll help you escape Harley" Robin offered his hand out in a shake.

"Hmmmmm, tempting offer but I think I'll have to refer to my bodyguard" Penguin laughed as he hit his umbrella on the ground, making the tip flicker red. All of a sudden the wall behind Penguin opened up to reveal a cage with someone inside it. By the looks of it: he was male, has a athletic physique, his hair flicked out in all directions and his body was covered in what looked like a black and blue swimming suit. A weird machine surrounded his neck and arms, wires swirled round the upper part of his body. "I think you have already met him"

"Nightwing?" The person lifted their head up to show the masked face of the very first Robin to assist Batman, Dick Grayson. A gymnast turned crime-fighting legend, he assisted Bruce on his dealings with crime. However Dick grew to tired of being put behind batman all the time and started his own heroic campaign as Nightwing. Armed with the latest technology and trained in six types of martial arts, Nightwing could take on most things that came at him. "Dick, what has happened to you?"

"Run!" he wheezed as Penguin hit his umbrella again, activating the machine on him. Nightwing stood up in pain, his hands held familiar looking rods (similar to Robin's detachable staff) electricity however flowed through them. The cage opened and like a puppet of Penguin, Nightwing stepped forward. His face showed pain and agony but no scream or heavy breathing escaped his lips.

"Meet my latest discovery, how to control someone by using electrical impulses and connecting them to their nervous system" Penguin explained the device on Nightwing. "I've grown tired of this Bird-boy, get rid of him"

Nightwing surged into the air and brought down the two powered up staffs to the floor. Robin only just dodged and landed against the wall. Penguin left the room via a secret trap door in the floor, leaving the two friends to fight. "Dick, stop this!"

Nightwing attacked again, this time for the kill.


	14. BOSS: PENGUIN AND NIGHTWING

Robin rolled along the floor and dodged Nightwing's electrical rod. Sparks and splinters of wood shot out of the hole in the floor. The brain-washed Nightwing raised his electrified rod and crossed it across the other. He skimmed them together causing a strong electrical current that shot sparks towards Robin, trying to distract him. Robin didn't take a chance and forward rolled underneath Penguin's desk. He could easily see the trapdoor the short man hurried down. The boy wonder listened out for Nightwing's footsteps; the slow thuds as he anticipated his old friend's attacks. Then the thuds quickened and Robin guessed Nightwing was about to jump across the desk. Robin lifted up the desk and made Nightwing lose sight of his target, making him flip backwards in the air and out of the glass window. Robin ran to the railing to see Nightwing sliding down a rope hanging from the ceiling.

Penguin was running across the warehouse's ground floor, this made Robin furious. Robin dived over the railings and onto the blood spattered floor. He darted for the short stubby villain but was interrupted as a sharp burning sensation hit his shoulder. Robin fell to the floor, his outfit was marked with a giant burnt spot. Although the outfit wasn't ripped from the heat, Robin could still feel the burn. Standing over him was Nightwing ready to bring his rod downwards onto the hurt boy. Robin thought quickly and kicked Nightwing in the stomach, crippling him for seconds. Robin recovered of the ground and hurried to the side of the building, into the shadows. His new outfit allowed him to blend in.

"Don't just stand there!" Penguin shouted in a croaky voice. Trying to make sure Nightwing heard over the sound of Helicopters firing round of bullets. "Kill the begger!"

Nightwing surged forward into the shadows, his years of training were shown quite clearly. The way his feet moved, the way his body shifted into different positions and the way he controlled the electrified rods with smooth clean cut movements. Robin could remember the time he had envied Dick Grayson's athletic skill and acrobatic nature. He always believed that Bruce had preferred Dick more than him. With Robin in deep thought, he didn't notice Nightwing sneak up towards him.

Nightwing was about to do the killer strike and electrocute Robin in the back of the head. Nightwing didn't smile, he fought against the collar and wires on his body. He managed to control his face but not his body. His mind was screaming inside at his body to stop. His arm fell, the rod was about to strike Tim's head when the wall behind him exploded and both apprentices of Batman were sent flying. Penguin fell to the ground from the shock wave. More debris and flaming objects scattered the ground as the entire side of the warehouse was blown apart by what seemed to be a helicopter crash.

* * *

Red continued to run across the roof of the warehouse, heading for the helicopter with her Snakebite whip attached to it. Harley Quinn followed her with a machine gun blazing bullets at her. Red saw that the helicopter was going away from the roof of the building and started to speed up. Harley mimicked the reaction, still trying to kill the rogue assassin who had betrayed her. Harley didn't care about her back-up waiting, she just wanted the 'bitch' in front of her dead. Not only did Harley have the large machine gun with her, she had three other choppers following her lead and aiming their bullets at the rogue assassin.

Red saw herself getting nearer to the edge when she decided to jump. Her arm was outstretched and the whip was only centimetres away. Harley slowed down as a huge smile grew on her face, she knew that Red was going to die.

"Shoot her, NOW!" the men in the choppers obeyed, since the last helicopter who didn't do as she said was shot down by Harley herself. Red skimmed through the air, everything turned into slow motion. Her body slowed down to what seemed like one mile per hour, Harley's annoying smile seemed to grow as fast as a turtle's pace and the bullets flew past her like dying fireflies. Red outstretched her hands and gripped the handle of the whip. She then became normal pace and swung with her shoulders round to the other side of the chopper. She entered the craft feet first, using the force from the swing to knock the pilot out of his seat.

"Red, What are you doing?" Talia said over the communicator.

"Improvising!"

"Remember, you can't kill Harley. The City will be in ruins in less than a week" Talia ordered. Red's face looked like she didn't care. "We'll all be killed"

"Yeah, I've got it" Red said. A tone of bitterness rose into her voice.

"Why isn't she dead yet?" Harley's high pitched voice screamed over the sound of the helicopter's propellers. Red smiled and turned the controls, the helicopters main guns moved till they were aiming at Harley and the other choppers.

"Boom Bitch!" Red pressed a switch and the helicopter's main weapons (machine guns, missiles and small flares) all fired off at once. Each weapon found their target taking out the Helicopters and making them crash into the sea. Red giggled as she saw Harley Quinn stumble over the roof's slippery surface, escaping everything thrown at her. Harley Quinn dropped the machine gun and unholstered her 'Bat-Killer' chunky pistols and turned her body. She quickly fired both guns. One of the bullets hit the window (inches from Red's head) and the other hit the missile holder making it malfunction and change its course. Red watched as the missile headed straight for warehouse side wall. She watched as it met its target and the wall exploded into flame and debris.


	15. The Annoying Pain

Nightwing rose from the ground. His suit covered with rips, scratches and marks where debris had hit him. He stretched his arms out, to loosen up the tight muscles. He shook his frazzled hair and small bits of rock fell to the ground. He started to walk over the flaming debris when he found both of his rods. He picked them up and sighed.

"Can't do a thing without you two" Nightwing smiled at his weapons and then it clicked. He just spoke on his own. He moved his entire body to check he had total control of his body. The collar around his neck was smashed to bits and the wires up and down his body were cut up. Nightwing removed the wires and collar so that he could move more freely. He placed his weapons on his belt and decided to walk out of the warehouse when something caught his eye.

A young male, no more older than twenty one. He was wearing a tight black outfit, equipped with modern day gadgets and his chest was marked with a red 'R'. Nightwing recognised the symbol but he couldn't recognise the man in front of him. He placed his hand on the man's mask, his head was covered in a hood. Nightwing then whipped the mask off to see no difference. He still didn't recognise the person in front of him. Then the man woke up.

"What the ..." he said, jumping up. His black outfit was familiar to Nightwing, even the voice was recognisable but he just couldn't picture it. His flowing hooded cape cut off just under his waist and gently moved as wind entered from the gaping hole in the warehouse. "Dick?"

Then the image came into Nightwing's mind. A boy, a lot younger than the person in front of him, wearing the costume he had spent years wearing under the service of Batman. The boy then turned into a athletic teenager, just turned nineteen. The worry of his face as he ran down a dark hall. "Tim?"

"Dick it is you!" Tim said loudly and embraced his old friend into a bear hug. Nightwing became breathless as Tim (A.K.A Robin) squeezed harder on his chest.

"OK, put me down" Nightwing gasped, Robin laughed and stopped the bear hug. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story" the cheeriness had gone from his marked face. "Alfred became sick shortly after we escaped Gotham. Now he is on the verge of dying; Barbara is doing everything she can but it is only a matter of time. I'm here to find Mr Freeze, he apparently has a cure but we needed to distract Harley Quinn. So the plan was to get the Bat-Mobile from Penguin and make her come and get it whilst I infiltrate Wayne Enterprises and get the cure"

"OK" Nightwing said confused. "Alfred is dying?"

"McGregor's syndrome, Freeze's wife has the same problem"

"Well if you want to get the Bat-Mobile, it won't work"

"WHY?" Robin asked loudly. Nightwing laughed at the young apprentice in front of him.

"Harley Quinn gave me to Penguin as a swap. She has the Bat-Mobile" Nightwing explained, his nervous smile growing on his face.

"Talia!" Robin shouted, placing his hand on the communicator.

"Don't shout at me" she replied.

"Talia?" Nightwing said.

"Don't ask, Harley Quinn has taken what I wanted from here. Do you know a way into Wayne Enterprises without getting caught?" Robin said in frustration.

"Talia?" Nightwing repeated.

"No that won't work ... maybe, no ... the only way I can think is to get something that Harley wants and distract her with it"

"That was my plan in the first place"

"Then I have no other way for you Robin, I'm sorry" Talia's voice became quiet. She didn't like failing.

"I do?" Another voice came over the line.

"Red?" Robin said confused. The sounds of helicopter propellers were growing louder.

"Look outside the big hole" Robin did what she said, Nightwing followed his gaze. A Helicopter was skimming the surface of the ocean, just over the wreckage of another chopper. Robin saw Red in the pilot seat, a bullet hole next to her head. "Well get in!"

"Talia?" Nightwing asked.

Robin patted Nightwing's shoulder, shaking his head and made him go first. Robin followed but stopped when something touched his back. He didn't need too turn around to know that the tip of an umbrella was poking him in the back. Penguin stood behind him, his forehead cut open and the glass in his eye was cracked.

"You have ruined me!" Penguin croaked. "She's after you, not me!"

"Wrong Cobblepot, she is after you!" Robin said.

"Well she won't get me then!" Penguin laughed and readied his umbrella gun. "Neither will she have you"

Just as Penguin was about to pull the trigger, a blue boomerang thing zipped into Penguin's head, knocking him out. The boomerang fell to the floor and Robin saw it resembled the sign of Nightwing. He turned around to see Nightwing, holding onto the helicopter and smiling.

"Get in Kiddo" he laughed.

"I am not a kid" all three of them laughed as Red pulled up on the controls making the craft go up. They had turned round and were heading to Wayne Enterprises when two bullets just missed Robin's head. Everyone looked round to see Harley Quinn on the flaming docks firing off her 'Bat-Killers' aiming to kill them. Her face tore up in anger and took it out on the nearest thing. A post rising from the ocean was her target. She kicked it hard and was only returned with a sore foot "She really dislikes you, doesn't she?"

Red smiled at her work and pushed the Helicopter to the fastest it could go.


	16. How much will a Sacrifice cost?

Red, Robin and Nightwing flew over the streets of the criminal city of Gotham. Robin grew more worried as they headed for the largest building in the city. He ran the thoughts in his mind: They have just burned down the docks, stolen a helicopter from Harley Quinn, finished off the last of Penguin's forces and made a foll out of the 'so-called' Queen of Crime. They were going to be hunted down till they were dead. Red was already being hunted down when the two first met. Robin realised that she was one of three people in the city who he could fully trust to do this task with; the others being Nightwing and Talia.

"So who is the third person?" Red said. Robin almost jumped from shock as he came out of his thoughts. "Oops, you were thinking"

"Was it that obvious?" Robin whined.

"Like a building on fire, Kiddo. And I'm Nightwing" Nightwing laughed. Robin turned round to reply with a witty comment but nothing came to mind. Robin saw the good-looking face of Dick Grayson, hidden behind a similar mask to his own. A few cuts and marks were on his face after being captured by Harley and being sold to Penguin. Robin felt really sorry for his friend.

"We're about twenty minutes away" Red said, keeping a firm grip off the controls. Robin looked at his ally to see that a her leather jacket was covered in dirt and he half red and half black pants had a rip by the thigh. Her trusty pistol was in its holster and her 'snakebite' was wrapped round her waist. Her black ponytail looked shorter than before.

"But the building is right there" Nightwing pointed out.

"Yes, but we can't just go in like this" Red said strategically. "I'm out of ammo, your outfit is ripped to shreds and I think it would be a good time for food"

No one disagreed with food, Nightwing had been fed scraps of raw fish by Penguin and Robin hadn't eaten a proper meal since the day he had too abandon Wayne Manor, two years ago.

* * *

It was twenty minutes until they reached the familiar cathedral where Red took Robin to meet Talia Al'Ghul. They landed on what seemed to be the Cathedral gardens but it was hard to tell since any form of plant there was burnt. Robin and Nightwing stepped onto the scorched ground and looked at the ruined Cathedral. A spiral tower had full collapsed, taking some of the roof with it. The authentic stain glass window now covered the ground. The door to the main part of the cathedral looked like it had been target practise for someone. Red finished powering down the craft and followed the two heroes.

Inside they were greeted by Talia, still wearing her tight leather clothes. Nightwing didn't seemed to be falling for her charm unlike Robin who hung onto to every word she said.

"Nightwing, well this is a surprise" she said, her thick european accent standing out. Nightwing's mouth was no where near a smile. He just stared at Talia with dark observing eyes. "Come on, have you still not forgiven me"

"No" was the only reply.

"I apologized didn't I, Bruce took it"

"Where is he now?" his voice became more sinister like. He sounded more like a rogue now.

"That's unfair, Richard" she said moving away from the three people in front of her.

"What's unfair, that you tried to kill me whilst your Father brainwashed your supposedly love of your life" Nightwing belted out in fury.

"No, I did that to help Bruce. I wanted him to join so I could be with him forever. But he would not get over that he would have to take a man's life to do that"

"That is not what it looked like from my side"

"Then you are blind to love, failed prodigy" Talia showed her feisty side. Robin and Red stood at the side whilst the two people in front of them argued. "Bruce loved life to much, to take another's life has been trained into me since I was born. It is my natural instinct to kill"

Nightwing became shocked at Talia's comment. He wasn't shocked as in 'How could she say that?' It was more of a 'unexpected' shock. Nightwing's defensive stance then became more relaxed and calm. Robin noticed the difference straight away. "Talia, we need supplies and food" Red said.

Talia walked away from the argument, the obvious winner. But she didn't looked like she had just verbally defeated one of Gotham's protectors. She looked sad just to have the argument. Nightwing followed after her.

"What was all that about?" Red asked. Robin wanted to tell her the entire story behind Bruce and Talia but he just didn't want to bring up bad memories.

* * *

"These won't fit me" Nightwing said as held a pile of clothes.

"They belonged to Bruce" Talia said looking through her make-do room in the cathedral. "From the time we worked together to stop my Father"

Nightwing remembered that time, he was only young, an adolescent boy. Talia acted like a Mother towards him, he respected her. Nightwing made a mental note of how it was a shame that the memory was the only good thing between them. He quickly walked around the blinds and changed.

Red and Robin came out from behind their blinds. Red's half red half black pants were replaced with loose pants than ran into her military boots. Her ponytail was gone and was replaced with neat and tidy black hair. Her guns were reloaded and she had plenty of ammo packs to take out five armies. Robin came out looking similar to before except that he had placed a bandage over his shoulder and hands. He then placed on his outfit and took a pair of Talia's assassin gloves.

"Don't you look dapper" Red said to Robin sarcastically.

"Same to you" Robin said making Talia silently laugh.

"What do'ya think?" Nightwing said stepping out from behind the blind. His black and blue suit was replaced with black clothing. A black kevlar jacket zipped up to the middle of his chest, a light shade of blue shirt underneath it, black jeans than finished over the top of his previous outfit's boots. He also wore the gloves as well. His utility belt had his battle rods attached to them alongside many types of gadgets Talia gave him. His hair was ruffled and resembled spikes more than anything. His Nightwing mask covered his eyes and the arch of his nose. A similar communicator

"Handsome" Talia said, trying to reinstate the Mother relationship with Nightwing. He looked up and Robin swore that his mouth smiled a little bit.

"Thank You" Red said to Talia. She walked out the room first followed by Robin quickly.

"Thank you, Richard" Talia said whilst he was about to walk out of her room.

"What for?" he asked in confusion. Talia smiled with pride and cupped his face with her hands.

"For speaking your mind. You were always different from Bruce" Nightwing smiled at her comment. He never wanted to be like his adoptive Father but many times had people said he should be.

"Your welcome" Nightwing tried to hold back the emotion. he left the room and was shortly followed by Talia herself.

* * *

All four of them ate a decent meal that Talia had stolen from Harley Quinn's main food suppliers. It wasn't long after that Red, Robin and Nightwing headed to the Helicopter. That's when Talia noticed it, a circular piece of metal on Robin's cloak.

"My God!" Talia said, alerting the others. She ran inside making them worry and follow her. She was by a window when they caught up to her. That is when they saw them. A whole street full of Tanks and machine gun equipped karts decorated in Harley Quinn's red and black theme . They were heading for the Cathedral. "Who placed this on you?"

Robin turned to see Talia holding the circular thing on his cape. She took it off and smashed it against the ground. "I don't know"

"Penguin" Nightwing said. "He held you at gun-point so that you couldn't see him place it on your cape"

"But why would he be working for Harley Quinn? She wants to kill him"

"They're business partners, remember. Harley Quinn swapped me for the Bat-Mobile and to make sure that Penguin would never leave the Harbour.

"He wasn't hiding, he was protecting himself"

"When did this deal take place?" Talia said.

"She offered the deal two months ago but he only agreed to it today when Killer Croc ran off with some of his men" Robin listened to everything Nightwing said and mentally slapped himself when he didn't see the signs.

"You need to go!" Talia shouted, pushing Red and Robin to the helicopter.

"What about you?"

"I'll survive"

"Your not coming" Red asked.

"I'll be a distraction" speaking of their earlier conversation.

"No" Nightwing said. "You won't get a chance"

"I'll survive. You know where it is. If I die, take me to it" she said.

"I don't know where it is?" he replied. Talia smiled.

"Oh but you do" she placed her hand on her sword and gave it to him. "Find it?"

The three quickly hopped into the Helicopter leaving Talia behind, against Nightwing's desires. They hovered into darkness but still being able to see Talia. The Tanks came close enough to fire accurately. One by one, the tanks and karts fired their weapons, over and over again. The Cathedral crumbled to the ground and Talia fell to the floor.

Unsure if she was dead or not, the trio headed towards Wayne Enterprises. And too Alfred's cure.


	17. The Queen of Crime

The trio flew in silence. Nightwing still gazing at the burning Cathedral, the attackers didn't even see them take off. His tight grip of Talia's sword made him realise he still had it. Red stared straight forward nut casually turned her head to see her make-do home burning to the ground. Robin couldn't sit in the small space without doing something.

"I think she'll be fine" he said. Nightwing lifted his head to show the painful face. "It's Talia, she won't give up without a fight"

"I don't care" Nightwing said. He looked forward, moving away from sight of the cathedral.

"It looks like you do" Red said. She tried to look at Nightwing but with the high-rising buildings of Gotham, she gave no opportunity to crash. "I'm being serious, your hugging that sword like its Talia's arm."

Nightwing looked at the sword and did something unexpected. He threw the sword into the front seat and landed on Red's lap. Red gave a shock as the handle hit her thigh. "Have it, you know how to use it"

"But she gave it too you" Red replied.

"I don't know what to do with it"

"She said you did" Robin joined in.

"Well, I don't!" Nightwing finished the conversation. Red and Robin became quiet and the trio spent the next few minutes without talking.

* * *

"Wayne Enterprises coming up in five minutes" Red said after looking at her surroundings. Nightwing and Robin got ready for an un-planned assault.

"So what's the plan?" Robin said to Nightwing.

"The main tower of the Enterprise building will be guarded by choppers since we left Harley to burn in a building" Nightwing said, bringing back a laugh.

"So we can't use the main entrance then" Robin laughed as well.

"So how do you get in?" Red asked.

"It's not how we get in" Nightwing said standing up and gazing at the blocks below. "It's how we get out"

"What?" Robin and Red said at the same time. Nightwing smiled.

"I'm sorry Red but you have to stay with the chopper" Nightwing ordered without looking at her. "Your our escape again"

"I should have never stolen this helicopter" she said in a huff.

"So our exit is booked, what about our entrance?" Robin asked, his face full of confusion.

"As I remember, the main tower is mostly brick and stone but the roof is a glass pyramid"

"You want us to fall to our death" Robin replied.

"No, your wearing your glider cape aren't you. Just when your near the bottom, open it up" Nightwing explained. He had already opened the chopper door as if he was going to jump.

"What about you?" Red joined in again. Her voice was full of worry and concern.

"Robin, your grapple gun" Nightwing said holding out his hand. Robin reluctantly gave him to him.

"Why?"

"I'll use it for my landing" Nightwing smiled, his hair seemed more ruffled and less controlled.

"Two minutes guys" Red said. All three of them looked out the nearest gap to see the Royal Palace of Harley Quinn, Wayne Enterprises. It was surrounded by black and red patrol copters and many windows were stationed with armed Clown faces. Nightwing's feet were dangling outside the open door. Wind blew straight into his face and making his eyes water a bit. Explosions in the background told the trio that Harley's tanks and ground troops were still attacking the Cathedral, looking for them.

Red hovered the helicopter nearer to the building and made sure they blended in with the patrol copters. Slowly she took the chopper up to the glass pyramid as if it was being called in for landing. She managed to get at the top of the glass pyramid without anyone noticing. Nightwing was looking out the door.

"Robin, you should see this" Robin walked up next to him. He peered down into the fenced off building. Hundreds of Clown faces were shouting and cheering outside. A clear circle could be seen as the Clown faces were held back by a ring of bullet-proof glass. "It's a fighting ring"

Robin could see it clearly now. Two men were fighting in the ring: one armed with a dagger and the other armed with knuckle busters. Robin could see a difference in the crowd, a feeble bodied person walked up to the highest vantage point of sight. As she walked by, the Clown faces made a path for her and became quiet. Harley Quinn.

"She's here" Nightwing said. "That means we have about ten minutes, looking at the people in the ring"

"Then GO!" Red said. At that moment, Robin felt a grip on his shoulder and he felt himself fall out the chopper. Nightwing fell with him but because of his athletic build he fell faster. He covered his head with arms, so did Robin, and they both broke through the pyramid.

Robin felt like he was sky-diving. His hood only just stayed on his head and his eyes streamed with water. Nightwing was similar except his black hair was shooting straight up like a rocket. The tower was like a giant staircase with a massive hole all the way through it. No one was in the building but Robin could see the graffiti and fire arms that Harley had allowed to be brought in. Then he saw the ground, it was coming up fast. Nightwing grabbed the grapple gun and fired and a balcony. The grapple caught a pipe and Nightwing began to turn in mid-air and used the rope to slow down. Robin did as he was told and grabbed his cape allowing the air to flow into it like a parachute. He floated to the ground and landed with a somersault. Nightwing started use the grapple rope to slide down until he let go and landed with a thud.

The bottom floor was completely trashed with bullets embedded into walls and evidence of fires on the ground.

"What has she done to this place?" Robin asked. She had completely destroyed the Wayne legacy, in his mind.

"She became the Queen of Gotham" Nightwing said with a bitter tone to it. "We knew her plan would be big, Joker was known as the Clown Prince and she was his Queen"

Robin was disgusted at the thought of Joker being a prince. "So, we find Freeze, get the cure and leave"

"It won't be that easy" Nightwing laughed. "It never is"

Nightwing led the way as both he and Robin headed for Freeze.


	18. The Unlikely Prison

The corridors leading to the lowest part of Wayne Enterprises became cold rather quickly. Robin and Nightwing felt it as they made their way down fifteen flights of stairs to the lower labs. The labs were built to contain any harmful chemicals that may have been released and also gives chance for the effects of the chemicals to fade away before they reach the city. With state of the art technology and scientists at the head of their professions, the underground labs at Wayne Enterprises were the best in the world.

"Freeze must have the entire fifteen floors this cold" Robin said, hugging his arms and rubbing his chest.

"Why would Harley keep him captured but give him fifteen floors as a prison?" Nightwing asked. Robin agreed with the statement, it was weird why Harley would give him freedom.

"It doesn't matter, means we are on the right path"

"But we should still keep an eye out" Nightwing replied. He removed his rods from his belt and held by his waist.

Robin and Nightwing checked every floor for Freeze and every time they moved down a floor, it became two degrees lower in temperature. Robin began to be more restless as he tried speaking to Red on the communication line.

"Red ... are you there?" Robin whispered, just in case someone heard him. "Red"

"There won't be any signal, not down here" Nightwing said. "The walls are made out of thick concrete and all the technology down here is supposed to be untraceable"

"I remember Bruce telling me that the labs won't be on any map made in the world"

"He lied, he had a map in his study at Wayne Manor. You remember it?" Nightwing asked, turning his head to look. Robin nodded with the urge for him to carry on. "Looks like a normal map of Gotham, wrong. On the back is the underground tunnels, the old Gotham City and then their is the labs."

"So he lied to us"

"He did what everyone does, keeps secrets" Nightwing said. "Like you, you still haven't told me why you are trying to contact Red"

Robin began to panic in his mind. He didn't even know why he was trying to contact her. He ended up deciding whether it was to make sure she was ready for an escape or if it was another reason. "Errrrrrr ... I have no idea"

"Ha, OK then, if you won't tell me I'll just have to wait and find out" Nightwing smiled and continued down to the last floor. He looked forward and found himself face to face with a thick bulletproof door that could only be opened up by the person in charge or by someone inside the room. He placed his hand on the door only to take them off again. The metal was so cold, it stung to the touch, even whilst wearing gloves. "Problem"

"Just open it"

"With what?" Nightwing shouted, not caring if anyone heard him. "We need a code to get in. Or someone on the inside would let us in"

"I can help" A robotic sounding voice said. The voice had traces of a man's voice but their was a shakiness to it that made it sound robotic. Nightwing and Robin looked behind them too see nothing.

"Who's that?" Robin asked. Nightwing turned in confusement.

"Boy, it must have been a long time"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't recognise that voice" Nightwing said in shock.

"Give the boy credit, Rogue Robin. It has been a long time since me and him last met" the voice sounded like it was laughing at them.

"You said you could help us get in, why?" Nightwing said.

"You know why!" The two heroes found the source of the voice. Two small speakers were in the corners of the room with a camera watching them.

"No! why would you help us, there must be another reason" Nightwing kept a good tight hold of his rods.

"The two-timing Quinzell double-crossed me. She promised me immunity but I was a fool to listen to her"

"Let us meet face to face, that way I get a more comfortable feel to the conversation" Nightwing said, looking to the door.

"Or you could point us to Freeze. You must know where he is" Robin said.

Then the ice cold door in front of them started to make sounds like cogs turning inside them. The circular patterns started to move as the door slightly began to open. A icy mist flowed out of the door and onto the corridor. That's when they saw the owner of the voice.

A man stepped out into the icy mist. His body was covered with a metal suit, very high tech and what Robin anticipated a difficult piece of science to have perfected. The man's suit beefed out at the chest, showing where the centre of its power came from. Small vents on his back excreted the icy fog and wires filled with a cold blue liquid flowed around his body. His head was covered with a huge glass bowl, filled with even more of the icy fog. His red goggles allowed him to see through the glass and the fog plus see tactical advantages against his opponents. From what the two heroes could see, his skin was the colour of frozen metal and his bold head showed off the sharp features of his face. Around his metal hands were two tube like shapes filled with some mysterious chemical that could freeze a man to death. But this man breathed this stuff, it kept him alive. He carried with him a large hand made gun, the similar metal and wires covered it but instead of firing bullets, it fired a beam that could freeze a man into a giant icicle. This was Mr. Freeze.

"Nice to make your acquittance, Nightwing and Robin" Mr Freeze's robotic voice. "How may I help you?"


	19. Cold Feelings

"You've come for my help. Have you not?" Freeze said. The robotic voice drilled into Robin's mind as if it was a test of knowledge.

"More like a deal" Nightwing replied.

"We need something you have" Robin spoke up. Freeze turned his body to look at the boy wonder.

"Tell me, what is it that you need?"

"Medicine" Nightwing quickly said.

"For McGregor's Syndrome" Robin explained. Mr Freeze moved in shock at the words Robin had said; He turned around and walked down the corridor.

"McGregor's Syndrome, what makes you think I have expertise in that field?"

"Your Wife" Nightwing replied in a deep, yet calm, voice.

"LEAVE MY WIFE OUT OF THIS!" Freeze yelled, turning his body so tat his red eyes could gaze at the rogue Robin. Freeze must have seen the shock he had quickly given and calmed himself down. "Sorry for that, its been a long time"

"Since what?" Robin asked. Since he had only faced Freeze twice before, he really didn't know his background story.

"Leave it" Nightwing ordered. "It's very personal"

"Don't order me about, I'm not a kid anymore"

"Don't sound like it" Freeze laughed. Nightwing hid his smirk and Robin just stared at the glowing back of Freeze's head. Robin continued to follow the frozen robot until they reached the main laboratory. Freeze had certainly done some re-modelling. The place was heavy in thick icy fog and most of the roof was covered with icicles. All of the equipment was suited to Freeze's standard and at the very back was a couple of tube containing bubbling water.

"So do you have a cure?" Nightwing and Robin said together. Freeze smiled.

"I have many research products on this particular syndrome. I can't just guess what type and who it is for"

"Type One and its Alfred Pennyworth" Robin quickly revealed.

"Aah, Bruce Wayne's favoured butler. Yes, I think I can help an old friend"

"You knew Alfred"

"This is not the first time one of your lot came to me for help. Batman, as I recall, beat the living day lights out of me till I gave him a cure." Freeze gave his sympathy story.

"He probably was beating you up since your froze half of Gotham and almost killed an entire Shopping Mall of civilians" Nightwing butted in. Freeze turned to his table and pressed a button on a computer. A machine in the background started to turn as he did something.

"As I said before, this serum will last for seven years only. I can't give a specific date but it will be seven years from now" Freeze said, walking up to the machine and opening the lid. He reached in and pulled out a couple of cylinder viles filled with florescent blue liquid. He was about to give them to Nightwing when he quickly yanked them back.

"What now?" Robin asked, he was growing tired of Gotham.

"A deal must be made. I will not give you the viles until I have you promise to do something"

"What do you want us to do?"

"Take down Harleen Quinzell!" his voice gave the expression more depth and revenge to it.

"What has she done to you?"

"She has locked me away down here for one and a half years plus she threatened me to continue her work or she would kill my wife."

"What work?" Asked Nightwing. He was growing closer to wanting to bring down Harley Quinn.

"Mostly a formula that will allow a human being to survive in dropping temperatures, like me, but not become a bold maniac. As she so kindly put it" Freeze said, placing his gun on the nearby table.

"Why would she want that?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. She only wanted one batch, as soon as she had the batch she told me to delete any information on the serum" Nightwing lifted his eyebrows.

"Did you?"

"No but she came back and did it"

"Next question, how can we bring down Harley when she has every thug on her side?" Robin asked.

"She has a plan" Freeze started. "The plan involves all of Gotham so I think she is half way through it. But she said the key to it all is at Base: Arkhum, or as you know it, Arkhum Asylum"

"That place is still standing" Nightwing said in shock. "I thought the thugs burnt it down"

"Harley Quinn rebuilt it"

"So we just have to go to Arkhum Asylum and find out what she is hiding there" Robin gladly said.

"We can't, Alfred needs this cure" Nightwing began to walk off. Freeze placed his hand on his weapon.

"She's been rounding up people"

"So?" Nightwing asked Freeze.

"Survivors, thugs plus people who managed to escape from the city, two years ago"

"She's kidnapping people outside of Gotham. WHY!" Nightwing thought that Freeze was just wasting time.

"Unknown"

"How do we know it's true?"

"Because I saw them walk through the front gates on CCTV camera" Freeze pointed to the screen. It showed eight squares each with a different image and each showed Harley was finishing her gladiator brawls. "She's taking them underground"

"So we have to defeat Harley now" Nightwing huffed. "Civilians are at risk"

"Remember your promise, Nightwing" Freeze said as he turned around and walked away from the lab.

"How could I forget?"

"One last thing" Freeze started again. "Whatever she has there, it is dangerous, it has to be guarded twenty-four seven"

"Great!"

"She's dangerous, don't allow her to get close to you. That's her new technique to kill you"

"Thanks for that" Robin said and followed Nightwing.


	20. BOSS: HARLEY QUINN'S THUGS

They left the lower labs just to hear the gladiator brawl outside finish with a blood curdling scream. They stood and stared at the main entrance to the tower. The cheers of men were coming through the wall.

"Well isn't this a big surprise. The man with the knuckle buster killed the other man with his own knife" Harley Quinn's voice shouted and the entire crowd became quiet. "Now remember, I do like surprises "

BANG!

The familiar sound of Harley Quinn's 'Bat-Killer' gun rang through the air. Robin and Nightwing didn't need to see to know that Harley had just killed the survivor in the pit. Her laugh echoed around the tower

"That's the event over with, boys" she shouted. "Now go do what you do, cause some mayhem, GO!"

The entire crowd dispersed and headed for the tower. Robin and Nightwing looked for the nearest staircase or elevator, on the other side of the hall. The giant door began to shake as it opened. Harley Quinn was the first one to step in and her face rose in shock horror as she saw Robin and Nightwing. Even with different outfits, she knew the faces of Nightwing and Robin.

"How the hell did you get in here?" she said and quickly grabbed her pistols and started to fire. The other Clown faces around her grabbed the nearest weapon and started firing as well. Nightwing and Robin were heading for the stairs but just in their luck, the elevator opened up as they got near it. They didn't complain they hurried in and hid at the sides The bullet-proof glass doors shot and the bullets embedded themselves into the glass. Nightwing and Robin stood up to see the horrible Harley Quinn freak out and order her men to follow them. Most of the men headed for the stairs as the elevator started moving.

"Well that was lucky" Robin said.

"A thank you would be nice" a robotic voice said.

"Freeze?" Nightwing said in surprise.

"Yes, I thought you could use a lift" he said, a chuckle coming from the other side. "I have to end communication just in case Harleen has picked up the frequency"

"Cheers" Robin said as he watched men come from every floor just to kill them. Harley was still on the bottom floor but then she began freak out and ran to the other elevator. "She's on her way up"

"Well when we get to the top floor we will need Red"

"Red ... can you hear me?" Robin talked into his communicator. The line fuzzed but there was no reply. "C'mon Red"

"She best reply!" Nightwing said as he realised they were only five floors away from the top. When they were four floors up, Nightwing prepared himself in front of the door. Robin did the same and as soon as the lift had reached the thirtieth floor the doors opened They sprinted to the other side of the floor: past tables filled with computers, glass walls smashed to the ground and what was Bruce Wayne's office at the very end. The office had a whole side of the building to look out off. Windows showed the eerie city Gotham has become.

Nightwing and Robin turned around to see Harley and her thugs surround them. Harley Quinn walked to the front of the group; now up close, Robin and Nightwing could see that she was smiling at them. The same horrible smile she inherited when the Joker made her what she was.

"Well Well, if it isn't the two bird-brains" She said in a high voice.

"Hello Harley" Nightwing said.

"How did you get out of the control collar?" She said in a more childish like voice. Nightwing shuddered from the memory of wearing the collar. Robin just stayed by the window, gazing at all the gun holding thugs.

"A little help from you ex-assassin"

"She wasn't a assassin, silly. Red was one of my best spies, I trusted her and look what she did. She dissapointed me and became a 'hero' on the run" Harley Quinn laughed. Robin almost charged at the annoying clown faced woman in front of him.

"Then she found Talia, who trained her as a assassin" Nightwing said.

"And look what happened to her" Harley laughed, moving round the crowd of thugs. "The tanks have just returned, everything was destroyed in the attack" She taunted.

"THE BITCH!" A voice said into Robin and Nightwing's ear. Then a repeating sound was growing in volume, the source unknown. Then it became so loud that most of the men in the room covered their ears. Because a couple of windows were open, the wind picked up quickly. Nightwing, Harley Quinn and Robin looked out the window to see the stolen Helicopter rising into sight. Harley started to walk back into her group, her face full of confusion. Nightwing and Robin smiled as they saw the frustrated face of Red. "Robin, Nightwing"

"Yeah" they both said. Red smiled, still giving evils to Harley Quinn.

"Mama Red is taking this bitch down" She activated the guns and aimed at the group of thugs and Harley Quinn. "Machine Gun Joe style"

She pressed the button and the chopper started firing bullets. The windows shattered from the bullets force and flew at Nightwing and Robin. They covered their faces but it still didn't stop a huge shard cutting into Nightwing's jacket. He quickly removed it and covered his arm. Harley Quinn didn't move, she just allowed the bullets to fly past her and into her thugs. She didn't even change her face. She became sarcastic and brought her hand to her mouth and looked at them as if she didn't care. Red became enraged and activated the choppers missiles. Harley panicked as the missile headed straight for her. She dived into one of the separate offices and hid from the explosion that sent most off her men flying.

Red seeing her chance, she turned the craft to allow Nightwing and Robin in. They hurried aboard and closed the door just as Harley ran out off her office, holding her 'Bat-Killers'. She aimed at the chopper and pulled the trigger. The metal of the door became dented as each bullet hit it. She didn't do any damage but she was a bit relieved that she had made a point that she would kill them, given the chance.

"That was fun" Robin said. Red still looked a bit angry. Nightwing still covered his arm, trying to stop the bleeding. Robin found a first aid kit and opened it. He quickly picked out a bandage roll and some antiseptic pads. "Let me have a look at it"

"No ... I'll be fine" Nightwing stuttered.

"Dick" Robin became concerned for his friend. "Were brothers, let me look after you. Don't be stubborn as Bruce was"

Nightwing looked up at Robin. Both knew what Batman felt about having someone tag along with him. He really didn't want a helper. "OK"

"Right then" Robin lifted up Nightwing's jacket arm and looked at the cut. It wasn't deep but it could still affect him without care. Robin placed the pad on the cut making it sting, Nightwing showed no pain. He then wrapped it up tightly with the bandages and placed the leather jacket back over it. Robin pushed the kit somewhere and moved to sit next to Red in the pilot seats.

"You OK?" she asked as he managed to sit down, properly.

"Yeah, although, being here for at least three hours and I have almost been killed five times puts a downer on things." Robin said. Red laughed but she still seemed a bit mad about Harley Quinn's comment on Talia. "She's alive"

"Who is?"

"Talia, she's not dead"

"Maybe now but she apparently has ..." Robin started.

"SHE IS ALIVE!" Red interrupted. Talia's sword was now on her belt and looked easy enough just to pull it out.

"Listen to me. Talia has died before, not long before Batman died actually. Her Father had this machine that could bring people back from the dead"

"Really, I know it restored health and made you younger but I didn't know it could bring someone back from the dead"

"She and her Father are over hundreds of years old. They had bound to have died during them years." Robin said. Nightwing came to the front to see where they were going. It seemed as if Red was just trying to get away from the Wayne Enterprises building.

"They called it the Lazarus Pit, and only three people knew where it was" Red looked at Nightwing. "Talia, her Father and Batman"

"So what if we find this pit, we can bargain for the city. Everlasting youth, Harley would love that"

"Were not looking for the pits" Nightwing sternly said. "Freeze told us that Harley has been finding survivor settlements outside the city and kidnapping everyone. She has something planned and Freeze doesn't like it"

"So we trust him?" Red asked, still trying to work her brain around Harley's plan.

"We have to, why would he lead us into a trap when he gave us the cure for Alfred" Robin said. Red turned to see if he was holding the viles.

"So where are we going then?" she asked.

"Project Arkham" Nightwing stated from behind. "Known as Arkham Asylum" Red smiled and turned the helicopter to Arkham.


	21. Base Arkhum

It started to rain as soon as they saw the island. A thunderstorm brew in the air which made Robin think it kind of ironic. The typical Horror movie weather hanging over the supposedly abandoned mental asylum island. Lightning flashed behind the towering Mansion on the island; the array of buildings around the island that were once filled with unstable criminals looked freshly built after the escaped convicts burned them to the ground. The Botanical Gardens had broken glass surrounding it from what looked like Poison Ivy's plant experimentations.

"Look at this place" Red gasped. She obviously had never seen Arkham Asylum up-close, she had heard about since she was taken from Blackgate prison. The Helicopter landed near the boating yard: it had clear view of its surroundings, it was not clearly seen by anyone in or near the Asylum plus the trio had the vantage of knowing the building's schematics inside out. "It's weird"

"How do you mean?" Nightwing asked as he jumped out of the craft. His freshly bandaged arm was covered by his dark jacket but he still managed to hold his fighting rods tight.

"It looks ... familiar, in a way" Red said. Never mind the fact that this place was supposed to be protected yet there was no sign of life. No thugs carrying guns, no snipers in the towers and no secret key to stopping Harley was visible from ground or from the air.

"Well, when you get inside. Be wary of your surroundings, the entire place is a death trap" Robin joked as he too left the helicopter. Red followed them and landed on the scorched ground. She looked back at the pilots seat and brought out her ammo belt which was accompanied by her pistol holster. She replaced her 'snakebite' with the belt and thigh holster and wrapped it in a circle. She attached it to the belt and left it dangling. She also grabbed Talia's sword, in its scabbard, and held it in her right hand.

"You've come prepared" Nightwing joked. Although in the rain, he was prepared for a fight, even with an unknown enemy.

"I grabbed a few things whilst the Cathedral was being attacked" Red didn't laugh or smile, she just walked off in the direction of the nearest building. Nightwing and Robin followed her and realised what was the nearest building: Medical Facility. "Are we going in there?" Red pointed at the building.

"It would be a start, then afterwards we should check the Penitentiary across the yard." Robin said.

"How about?" Red suggested. "We split up"

"If that's the case then I'm going on my own" Nightwing said, already walking away.

"What!" Robin shouted. Nightwing slowly turned around. "You want to split up, who knows what could be waiting for any of us"

"It would help us get off this Island, alot quicker" Red joined in.

"So you want to go on your own as well!" Robin flipped on her.

"No, I'm not saying that." Red became resilient to Robin's arguments. "All I'm saying is that maybe if Nightwing goes and checks the ... whatever he called it, then we can keep in contact and if things get to weird then we turn back"

Robin had to agree it was the smarter option. "Fine, go ahead"

Nightwing smiled and hurried across the yard and into the Penitentiary. Robin and Red moved together and entered the Medical Facility. The eerie corridor was marked with dirt, grime and hand prints of blood. Paperwork was piled on the floor and bullet cases from a shotgun were scattered. The flickering lights didn't help to the thunderstorm outside. Robin hated this place all together. The smell, the bitter taste in his mouth, the sounds of the lights humming, the feel of the gloomy air on his fingers and thee horrid sight of seeing peoples blood.

"You OK?" Red asked. Robin looked at her face and she smiled. He saw the glimmer of fear in his eyes and came to the conclusion that she was feeling the same way.

"Yeah, just nervous"

"Which way do we go?" Red and Robin had come to fork on their path.

"Doesn't matter, it leads into one path whichever way you go" So they decided on one side and continued till they saw the other path. Robin was right because they became one path and led into a door. "We have to be careful in there"

"Why?" Red asked nervously.

"That is the best place for an ambush. There are two floors: the ground floor and then there is the main observation room in the centre. There are paths at the side which have stairs leading down to the ground floor." Robin explained his dealings with his room.

"So if there is an ambush, we want to take them out" Red suggested.

"Not really, the last time I was here, Batman said that their are Gargoyles around the room. These could be used as a surprise attack on the Clown-Faces in there"

"Tell you one thing on my mind" Red said, holding Talia's sword tightly. "If this place is keen to Harley Quinn, where's all the defence? I mean: I haven't seen any Clown Faces, no ground defence and no air defence. Why isn't she protecting it?"

"Maybe she is, all it takes is something to set off the trap" Robin said and headed for the next room. Red followed him but only after un tieing her 'snakebite'. They entered the room to find that Robin was right. Clown Faces were walking round the ground floor and the sides of the upper floor. The main control block was a huge cement block with small glass entrances and was standing on what seemed to be a giant scanner tunnel. Robin gave no time to think and grappled to one of the gargoyles. Red gave a running start and caught the sides of a railing. She quickly climbed over and whipped one of the gargoyles, pulling herself up to it.

"Be more discreet" Robin whispered over the communicator. Red looked up to see him press his fingers to his lips. A thug was just about to walk underneath his gargoyle. He was carrying a large rifle which could cut through stone on a continuous stream. Red was sweating with fear for Robin. Then Robin dropped, using his grapple to hang on to the gargoyle. He grabbed the man by the throat had pressed a switch which pulled them both up. He used his other fist to knock the man out and dropped the unconscious thug to the ground. Robin then grappled to another gargoyle and watched as his act set off a chain reaction. A fellow thug came the same way and saw the knocked out man and called for help.

"I've found someone!" he yelled. Every thug but the ones in the control block came running it. As soon as the last thug headed for the stairs, Robin sneakily dropped down to the ground floor and hid in a private room. Red saw her chance to attack another thug, so she did. Dropping down onto the side path, she sneaked up behind another thug and covered his both with her arm. She then gabbed a knife out of her boot and stabbed him. He bit her arm as he died; Red just left him there as she jumped over the edge of the rail. She couldn't find anywhere quick to hide until she found a small grate in the floor. Red opened up the panel and slid underneath the floor. Their were small tunnels leading all the way around the room and could fit a bear in them.

"There's another one here!" another thug shouted. Red could barely see the control block thugs until one of them walked out. Red counted seven thugs outside the block and still walking.

"What on earth is going on?" A thug gruffly complained.

"I don't know" the control block thug replied. "Maybe it's Harley testing out another one of her spies"

"Not this time Boys" Harley Quinn's voice was heard over the speaker system.

"This will be good" Red said to Robin over the line.

"It seems our friends Robin and Nightwing have joined us in Gotham" Most of the thugs shuddered or moved backwards in surprise. Most of them were put away by the boy wonder and the Batman's rogue apprentice. "After sneaking into Wayne Enterprises and speaking to the walking iceberg, he told them about Project: Wonderland. So my guess is that they'll be in your presence in ... now to whenever you guys get taken out"

"Great" the control block thug complained.

"So you boys keep an eye out" Harley shouted again. "Or I'll take them out for you!" The speaker system cut. The room was quiet.

"What do we do?" most of the thugs shouted.

"With two men down, they must be in here. Keep up your normal posts, the control block is going into defence mode" the head thug said. As soon as he said that the doors of the control block shut tight and bars ran across the inside of the windows. The men on the outside all grunted and walked to their original posts.

Robin was in the perfect spot to watch all seven thugs disperse. Five of them walked along the sides of the upper floor whilst the remaining two climbed down ladders and started searching. Robin looked around until he noticed the wall he was hiding behind was thin and could be easily collapsed by a well placed explosion. Robin retrieved his exploding gel canister and sprayed the letter 'R' on it. He left it there till it set and was about to pressed the button when something caught his eye. A grate that led to the upper floor and behind a similar wall. Robin managed to jump up and open the grate, pulling himself up as well. He sprayed the explosive gel on the wall and quickly hid behind a set of cabinets.

"Red" he whispered.

"You called" she whispered back through the line.

"A thug is right above you, can you take him out in five seconds?"

"What do you take me for?" she jokingly said. Her voice became all high and sweet as if she had just left school. Robin chuckled.

"Ready, One" Red prepared her whip.

"Two" Robin continued. Red placed her arm on the grate.

"Three" Robin held his thumb over the explosive gel activator.

"Four" Both Red and Robin prepared for the last number.

"Five" Robin pressed the button and the walls he sprayed exploded into pieces. The two thugs that stood in front of him were blown over the rail and down to the ground, knocking them out. Red pushed on the grate and whipped the thug in front of her, around the neck, She pulled him to the ground and into the hole under the grate where she stabbed him in the heart with her dagger. That left four left, including the one in the control block.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" a frightened thug shouted. Robin then moved whilst the air was still thick with dust and rubble. He grappled another gargoyle on the other side of the room, out of sight and safe. The remaining four huddled up together so no one could sneak up on them.

"Don't know but we should stay together" The four moved as a group, their guns looking up and down the room searching for Robin. They were just about to go out of sight when one of the thugs spotted Robin move on the gargoyle. He was ready to pull the trigger when the ledge they were on gave way and they all fell onto the bottom floor. All of them became absolutely frightened of what was going on and Robin was confused of how the ledge gave way. Then the truth came out as Red forward rolled through a glass wall, scaring the thugs into shock. She immeditaly took two thugs out: one by cutting his body with Talia's sword and the other shooting in the head with her pistol. The other two thugs started to fire at Red but her training as a thief and assassin paid off. She used Talia's sword to block a whole round of bullets and then used her pistol to block any oncoming bullets. Robin wondered how she could see all the bullets coming at her. She then ran to the thugs as they re-loaded. One managed to reload quick and start firing. Red dodged the bullets by turning her body and flipping in the air. She flew across the room and kicked the firing thug in the face, just before cutting down his body. The head thug dropped his weapon to surrender but Robin could see in Red's eyes she wasn't going to let him off, so he acted. He swooped down and knocked the thug out. Red came back to reality and looked at the people she had killed.

"You need Anger Management lessons" he joked and headed towards the control block.

"Don't bother" Red shouted. "I've already taken the pleasure of getting the door remote"

Robin turned round to see her holding a remote control. She pressed the button and the door at the side of the room opened up to show an elevator waiting.

"God, your good!"


	22. Crane's Return

"What's project: Wonderland?" Nightwing yelled. He was holding up a thug by the neck, his back scrapping against the wall. He was squirming and trying to escape but with little luck. Nightwing had heard about project: Wonderland after hearing Harley Quinn over the loud speaker. He had interrogated six other thugs, including this one, and had no idea what the project was or what it is for.

"I don't know" the thug choked out of his crushed neck. "The boss is the only one who knows"

"So Harley Quinn sent you here to guard something you don't even know what it is"

"No, the boss knows"

"Who is the boss?" Nightwing was growing impatient.

"He's usually in the morgue but for some reason he stays in the Mansion now" the thug finally croaked.

Nightwing smiled and punched the thug in the face; he broke his nose and knocked him out at the same time. Nightwing walked down the darkened corridor and tapped his communicator.

"Robin, Red, I have news" He said through the line.

"We here, go ahead" Red replied.

"Did you hear Harley's speaker message?"

"The one about us?" Robin asked. "Yeah, we kind off had to take out a whole room full of thugs"

"Well rather have them down than you two" Nightwing said. He could tell easily that Robin was smiling like a over-reactive child and Red was walking around the room, laughing.

"Did you hear what Harley said about Freeze?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, the walking ton of ice didn't tell us it was Project: Wonderland"

"You know what it is!" Red and Robin said at the same time.

"No, only that she has put everything she can into completing it" Nightwing explained. "I was looking into a lead about the project when I was captured."

"Now to think of it, the name sounds familiar" Red quietly put forward.

"Do you now" Nightwing started his sleuthing technique. She remembers the Asylum and Project: Wonderland. "Anyway, the Clown Faces I have interrogated all say that someone is running Arkham for Harley. This person is the only one who Harley Quinn trusts to look after Project: Wonderland"

"New mission objective then" Red changed her voice to sound like a army sergeant. "Find the person in charge and work out what Wonderland is"

"I think I've finished here. The thugs said that the boss guy will either be in the morgue or at the Mansion. It is only recently that he has become more seen. That's never a good sign for us"

"We're in the lift to the morgue as we speak" one of the two said. Nightwing didn't notice who it was because he was running towards the Mansion. If Freeze was right then time was against them.

"Great, meet you afterwards" Nightwing finally said and ended the communication line.

* * *

Robin and Red walked into the elevator to the morgue and waited. The doors creaked slowly together until they fully shut, allowing the elevator to move. They dropped downwards, underneath the surface of Arkham Asylum and down into the cold depths of the Morgue. With their clothes still wet they began to feel a chill on their skin. Then the elevator stopped making the two stumble against the walls.

"What now?" Red shouted out loud.

"I have no idea" Robin replied. "Just get out by using the roof hatch, we'll climb down"

"_I don't think __so, hahahaha_!" The elevator speakers rang out. The voice was definitely that of an insane person. The laugh was almost too recognisable to Robin, it sent a chill down his spine.

"Who is that?" Red angrily shouted. Robin couldn't say anything. The thoughts of how Harley could trust the owner of the voice was running through his mind.

"_The Master of_ _Arkham_!" Red stared at the speaker with her evil glare.

"What gives you that title?"

"_My power over people's minds. If you want me to show you, just tell me your fear_" Red stepped back from the speaker. She felt the similar chill that Robin felt.

"Scarecrow!" Robin shouted. "Let us out or I swear, I will come after you"

"_Your threats aren't good enough birdy boy hahahahaha!_" The elevator shuddered from the release of the brakes. Red decided to act on what Robin said earlier and opened the hatch on the elevator roof. "_Now I'm very afraid you are going to have a very frightful_ FALL!"

The metal cage shuddered again making Red hurry more. Robin saw what she was doing and decided to help. When she was fully out of the elevator, Red also helped Robin out. They leaped across and grabbed the wires on the wall, just as the brakes let go and the elevator fell to the ground. It landed with a crash and was destroyed instantly.

"The bastard!" Red said. She immediately placed a connection to Nightwing. "Nightwing!"

"Yes Red" Nightwing replied.

"We found out who's in charge"

"Who?"

"Scarecrow" Robin calmly said.

"Where is he?" Nightwing replied as quickly as he could.

"Don't know, he contacted us through the elevator system" Robin explained.

"He doesn't want us to get to the Morgue" Red added on.

"Project: Wonderland must be down there" Nightwing suggested. "Or clues to what it could be"

"What are you doing now?" Red asked.

"I'm in the Mansion. Thugs are all over this place so I had to use the ventilation system to get in"

"Try to find evidence that Scarecrow is there. If he's there that means Project: Wonderland won't be far" Robin added. Nightwing hummed in agreement and ended the line.

"So!" Red said out loud. "To the Morgue"

"To the Morgue"


	23. The Dark Story of Red Hood

The Morgue was running on a back-up generator that was badly connected up to the main power outlets. Rats ran across the sides of the walls as the new arrival of Red and Robin scared them. The air seemed more bitter and there was more of a sting on their skin in the Morgue. They saw the empty hall and together they walked down it, lights flickering above them.

"There has to be flickering lights" Red said, looking up at the lights. She carried Talia's sword in a defence position whilst Robin held his battle staff ready for a surprise attack.

"It means two things" Robin said, looking round the corner. "Scarecrow is trying to freak us out or something has overloaded the generator"

"Most likely to be Scarecrow" Red suggested. "I heard about how he likes to make people live their worst fear until they die"

"He likes to make people scream"

"What he's got some sort of fetish for it" Red joked, Robin looked at her to see her jacket cut by the window she jumped through. But he just smiled, Robin's smile grew twice the size of what it would normally. Red made him laugh, she was the only one who could in this dark time.

"Probably although I haven't had the pleasure of being in that situation"

"You've never lived your worst fear"

"Nope but I know what my fear is, so maybe that gives me something to fight with" Robin moved round the corner to find another empty hall. Red became thoughtful about her worst fear. They steadily made their way down the corridor until they came to a locked door. Robin could easily blow it open with his explosive gel but he decided to save it for more important times. Instead Robin placed his ear against the door to listen what was happening on the other side. The sounds were muffled to any normal person but because Robin's ears were trained to hear small sounds from streets away, he could everything perfectly.

"He's gone boss" someone said, Robin guessed it was a thug.

"Impossible, he chained to the wall and had four heavy guards at the only exit" Scarecrow shouted over the others. By now Red had seen what Robin was doing and tried to do the same.

"I'm sorry Boss, he killed all four of them with the chains"

"How did he escape then?" Scarecrow was moving around in the room. He sounded almost worried, maybe for his own life Robin thought. "He was chained to the wall, did he break them?"

"No"

"Someone unlocked the cuffs" Scarecrow sounded on the verge of madness.

"N ... urm ... No" The thug was gasping for breathe.

"Then how did he escape when he was still attached to the wall?"

"He took the wall with him" Then silence. The morgue was quiet, Robin and Red didn't even breathe loudly it was that loud. Robin looked at Red with worry, Red reflected that worry.

The at once, the door lurched forward but did not open. Four long needles pierced through the door, each one dripped with blood along with a golden liquid that burnt the floor as it landed. Red almost screamed but Robin covered her mouth with his hand and brought her closer to him. A scream could be heard from the other side of the door. Robin then moved them into a secluded ward where no one can see them. The needles retracted and the door opened. The body of the thug slid down the inside of the door, dead. Four huge puncture marks were seeping blood over his grey shirt.

Scarecrow stood in the doorway, the presence of fear was fresh as he gazed at the four needles that were connected to a machine on his right hand. The needles led to syringes filled with the golden liquid and wires connected them to the main tubes on his wrist. The syringes were placed on top of each of Scarecrow's gloved fingers and moved like an eerie claw. His left hand had a similar glove than ran from the triceps down except the gloves was cut off. His hand was half bandaged with grey cloth and a few yellowy coloured ones. His skin was pale which somehow defined his muscular arms and the six pack he had forming on his torso. His legs were covered with stitch work pants made from different leathers and waterproof materials; the different tones of brown were sown and stapled together. His belt for holding up the pants was nothing more than a thick rope tied in a tight knot at his hip. The two strands of rope from the knot were long enough that they passed his knees. A ripped piece of cloth covered his groin area giving him more of a scarecrow effect. His pants were baggy until his ankles where duck tape was wrapped tightly around them. His feet were inside what seemed like metal sandals but with the bandages covering up the rest of the foot, it was hard to tell. Scarecrow wore a similar hood to Robin except he didn't have a cape, the edges were ripped, it covered the top of his head, his shoulders plus the front and back of his chest. This also had the similar stitch work pattern on it. A hangman's knotted rope hung loosely around his neck so he could get his head out of easily. His face, he didn't have a face, he had the mask. The mask being a bunch of old sacks been cut up and stitched together. A huge line ran diagonally down what was supposed to be the face where two sacks were stitched together. The two dark hole it had for eyes gave Scarecrow the added advantage of pretending to be a real scarecrow. The mouth had two circular discs on either side, making the mouth turn into a wide open smile. He was heavily breathing and the effect on his voice gave the impression he was wearing a modernised gas mask. What were supposed to be the lips of the mouth had strands of strings stitched from one lip to the other but because of the circular discs all they did was make Scarecrow look more monstrous.

Scarecrow strode out of the room, followed by many other thugs who were in the room. Scarecrow lifted his head and stretched his neck, he looked up and turned to his men. Robin could just barely see the men through the frosted glass. Scarecrow had what seemed to be a black case hanging off his belt.

"Base: Arkham has been compromised." The men began to stir, some even gripped the weapons they were holding tight. "Yes, be scared, let the fear run through you bodies. It will give you a more diverse and steady attack on the enemy. The enemy being the fabled Robin and his predecessor Nightwing"

The thugs breathed in and some of them looked like they had just released there bowels. "If that fails at least you will give out a good frightful scream, hahahahahahaha!" Scarecrow laughed as he walked away from the thugs and the room. The group of thugs started to mumble and argue. Robin was about to try and move when the thugs dispersed and followed Scarecrow. All but two thugs remained at the door, looking scared and worried. Robin then realised that he still had his hand over Red's mouth. He let go and all she could do was stare at him. She stared like she cut through him if she wanted to. Robin saw that their was glass directly in front of the two guards. Robin crouched down at one side of the ward and started to run. He was about a few feet away from the glass when he jumped, his staff in hand. He crashed through the glass and knocked the first guard against the wall. The second was hit with such force over the head he just fell to the ground.

"It's OK, their down" Robin shouted. Red walked out of the ward, holding Talia's sword as if she was going into battle. She then headed straight for Robin, holding the sword up high. Before she could swing her arm down, Robin moved to the side. The sword clanged into the cement, leaving a deep line in it. "What was that for?"

"Don't ever do that again" Red said quietly, her hair frizzed from being pushed by Robin. The glare she gave was dark and had a look of Scarecrow's mask. "EVER!"

Red placed the sword in its scabbard and walked past the dead corpse of the thug. Robin followed her into the room. The room was different than the rest of the Asylum: it was well clean, everything was neat and what seemed to be a Confinement room was actually a plain room. Their was a bed, a desk, two huge bookcases nailed to the wall so it wouldn't fall, a small computer with extra screens and the remains of a mobile phone that had been thrown to the floor.

"What is this room?" Robin said out loud.

"It looks like a bedroom slash study room" Red was speaking normally now, she didn't sound angry but her posture made her look like it. "Look at the books"

Robin did what she said. A few titles he recognized as best-sellers when Gotham used to be filled with business's and corporations. But then there were books that were out only weeks ago in other cities. Novels ranging from picture books to intense non-fiction novels about the biggest people and events in the world. "This looks like a library of someone growing up"

"Picture books at the top then autobiographies at the bottom. The middle is filled with stuff I would read and then there is ..."

"What is it?" Robin turned to Red who's finger was on a particular book. Robin looked at the title "The Life and Death of the Joker". He didn't see anything wrong with it until he realised the book was the end of the smaller children's books. "That's a big jump from picture books to novel, about the Joker of all people"

"How, How can a child read that?" Red said.

"I don't think it is a child" Robin looked round the cell. "Maybe this is Zsasz's room"

"Zsasz would just cut them up" Red said turning round and looking at the clean room. "Like he does to women and the others he tries to kill"

"What do you mean others?" Robin asked sternly. He was confused at her comment; Red sat down on the bed.

"During the last days of the normal Gotham, my family and I were expertise on committing armed robberies on banks, hotels and a

police station." Robin nodded since he remembered about a group of burglars who were never caught. "Me, my brother, my sister and my Mama and Papa. We were successful in whatever we stole from. But then once, my brother messed up and didn't watch the police scanner meaning the police arrived and we were still in there. This started a shoot- off in which my sister was shot in the stomach trying to protect my brother. All five of us managed to get out with one of our remote bombs going off and we hid in a block of flats."

"Unknown to us that a Victor Zsasz had entered the very same building looking for another woman to kill. Police had evacuated the building and were outside waiting for him. Zsasz found us and knocked out my Father; me and my Mama were treating my sister when we saw my brother get stabbed through the gut. He died instantly and Zsasz took us all hostage. When my Papa came awake he alerted the police about us and to make sure he wasn't joking he cruelly slit my Mama's throat. When she died he placed her in a position which made her look disgusting, even to her family. Another hour past and he killed my Father, without warning he just came and cut his head off. Another hour past and it was my turn he had his knife against my neck when Batman came in and knocked him out. I held my sister as she died from blood lost, Zsasz killed her by keeping her hostage. Batman looked at me and left with Zsasz."

"When the police came, they found me guilty because of my families outfits and mine resembling the outfits the grouped burglars wore. I was heading for Blackgate prison when my truck was attacked by Harley Quinn and her men. You know the rest"

Robin felt sad and his heart leaped as he saw how this event had effected the girl in front of him. "Zsasz grabbed you like I did, didn't he?" She nodded.

"You did exactly the same"

"I'm sorry, Red please forgive me?" Robin used his light voice, he was truly apologetic.

"Not yet" Robin felt his heart in his mouth. How could he survive when his partner couldn't forgive him. What if someone came behind him and Red just watched as revenge. It wasn't the thought of dying, it was the horrible idea of Red hating his guts for bringing back terrible memories.

"Then accept this" Robin cupped her face with his gloved hand. Red turned her face to his whilst Robin gazed into her eyes. Robin leaned forward as Red stayed still and their lips met in a sweet and heart-saving kiss.


	24. The Deadly Stanger

Kissing the famous Robin inside one of the most dangerous places, in the most dangerous city in the world and with the most dangerous person in the world wanting her dead made Red lose all thoughts. The memories Robin's actions had brought back had disappeared and the situation they were both in didn't come into mind. Red moved her hands around Robin's body, the feel of his back on her hands gave her more support and comfort. The kiss didn't advance from the romantic, peaceful and pure gesture it was. Red's eyes were shut closed as she saw the true Robin just by feeling his lips.

Robin ended the kiss and looked at Red who was a bit shocked. Both of them were breathing heavily and the intense connection between them made the plain room more like a loved attraction that would stay in memory forever.

"What was that for?" After moments of being in silence, Red asked the question.

"Too say sorry" Robin replied, his hands still on her face and hers still around him. "But I also wanted to show you how I have been having certain passions for you"

Red pulled her head back. "What kind of passions?"

"No!" Robin shouted in embarrassment. "Not like that, I mean I miss you when your gone, I want you to be safe when fighting and when you agreed with Nightwing that we should split up all I could think about was you leaving me"

Red silently laughed, she brought her head back and stretched to his lips. They met with a similar passion to before but ended a lot quicker. "But I stayed with you, for the same reasons"

Robin smiled as Red hugged him tight and place her head under his chin, allowing him to soak up the aromas of her body. She smelt sweet but with a sense of fire, probably from the burning warehouse and exploding missiles. She did the same to Robin, the smell of leather combined with the metal of his technology and the warmth of his body made her sigh in relief.

"Don't ever leave me, please?" Robin asked Red. He didn't technically know if they were an item yet but at that moment in time, he loved her.

"I won't" Red said as she stood up, moving her hand to Robin's. She tugged on it and together, hand in hand, they followed in the direction of Scarecrow and the thugs.

* * *

Nightwing travelled towards the Mansion, its architecture seemed like it was built in the last three hundred years or so. Random plants grew out of the ground and grew bigger the closer they were to the Botanical Gardens. Nightwing dismissed the sign of Poison Ivy's presence and continued to the Mansion. The doors were hanging off their hinges and bricks lay scattered over the ground. Nightwing would have dismissed it too, if not for the bloodied corpses on the floor.

The thugs were slashed open, not the work of Scarecrow or Poison Ivy. Deep oozing flesh wounds were obvious sign of death, something had cut into them. From the three bodies that lay on the ground, one being headless, Nightwing deducted that the weapon used was a similar weapon to Talia's sword. Preparing for the worst, Nightwing held his battle rods firmly and headed inside the dark and eerie Mansion.

He walked through the first corridors to see only destruction and blood. Some parts of the wooden floor were cracked from a heavy force or weight, the walls were patterned with bullets and slashes and the remaining portraits had huge red smiles on them, resembling Joker. Nightwing huffed at the paintings and walked on to see more dead bodies, each with the face of fear on them. Nightwing thought about Scarecrow who could have advanced his killings but his own people. Scarecrow would usually experiment on them but not kill them just for fun. Something else was on the loose.

"Robin, you there?" The lined fizzed and no reply was heard. Nightwing knew that they were in the Morgue at that time doing what cute little boy girl crime fighting, law abiding, weapon wielding, martially trained couples do. He smiled at his thoughts and carried on down the rampaged corridors. One of the corridors led to the Main hall which was really a gathering point for guests and posh visitors. Nightwing saw the similar marks, corpses and destroyed objects. The entire place seemed like it was a massacre more than a fight. At the the end of the hall were two flights of stairs heading up to a balcony. That part of the hall led to two more sections of the Mansion so it would be a good place to look. Nightwing made his way to the stairs when a door opened behind him and out come a bunch of Thugs, carrying guns and not realising what had happened in the hall.

"Yeah, she screamed for ages until ... Fuckin' hell, what the hell happened here?"

"Their all dead" Another said. He seemed to panic more than the other two.

"What could do this?" The last one said. Nightwing dropped his rods a tiny bit in his hands so he could get better control. But the thugs didn't notice him, the buzzing sound of a walky talky made them all jump. "Yes Boss"

The thug clicked a button and 'the Boss' spoke out loud. "Finally a response from the House of Dead"

"Bill Crooks and his gang are dead sir, I don't know about Razor though"

"We can see from the Medical Facility that he and the other guards are dead, you are the only ones in there and I'm afraid to say there is an unexpected guest. Night Night hahahahahahahahahaha!" Scarecrow dropped the line. The thugs turned around.

"It's him!" One said as he raised his gun but it was too late. Nightwing's foot had already hit his face, sending him to the ground. The other two were about to attack when Nightwing threw his rods at them. The intense force and extra electrical power shocked them unconscious. Nightwing walked over the men and retrieved his rods, he continued down the hall and up the flight of marble stairs. The imported library was stocked up on what seemed to be home-made bookshelves. The left side of the room was full of barrels with Scarecrow's symbol on. It wasn't the famous fear gas since it said fuel on the side. A door on both sides of the room led to different sections: one to the main Library and the other to what would be the Warden's Office. To check out what Project: Wonderland was Nightwing decided that the Warden's Office is probably the best bet since Scarecrow was more likely to make that his lab.

Nightwing placed his hand on the doorknob when the door and hallway behind it exploded. Nightwing flew backwards into the other door, bruising his back. Flames and burnt wood were scattered everywhere; where the door was meant to be was replaced with a gaping hole showing the flaming corridor behind. Nightwing was enveloped in smoke as his entire body ached however he still managed to crawl up the wall and stand up. The bright flames made his eyes hurt and the heat was extremely painful. He started to move, not knowing where he was going. The flames were quickly spreading, making their way to the barrels of fuel. Nightwing was lost, not knowing where to go and how to escaped. Then something tugged on his arm, something pulled him and made him walk in a direction. He opened his eyes to see a tall dark shape heading for the marble stairs. They were halfway down the stairs when the barrels caught fire and exploded, the entire room was consumed in fire and the blast sent Nightwing and the other person falling to the bottom of the stairs.

Nightwing coughed and spurted out saliva caught in his throat. The other person was standing on his feet, his strength strong and the smoke didn't effect him. Then the Mansion doors opened to show a group of people walking towards them. The figure quickly grabbed Nightwing and did something most shocking. The figure kissed Nightwing on the lips and he suddenly felt weak. His legs buckled and Nightwing passed out.


	25. Project: Wonderland REVEALED

Nightwing fluttered his eyes, the shining light on his face stung his eyes. Black lines blocked some of the light as he managed to get use to the sudden flash of light. After his eyes adjusted to the change of Light, Nightwing saw he was in a prison cell. The cell could fit about six more people in and still had enough room to move about in. The light came from a row of small windows showing the sunlight outside. Nightwing immediately realised what the sunlight meant, he had been passed out for a long time.

Nightwing recalled the sudden explosion in the Mansion, the pain of the heat on his skin, the tug on his arm as someone lead him out of the fire, Scarecrow and his men storming in through the main door and the kiss. The kiss that made his knee's buckle and drain all of his energy. Nightwing then singled out the 'kiss' and only thought about that. He managed to pick himself up, still thinking about the kiss as he used the bars of the cell as a rest. He placed all of his weight onto the bars, allowing him to stand. His legs and arms felt numb but feeling soon came back to them. Nightwing stared straight into the sunlight as it remembered him off the flames.

Then it turned to the mysterious person who kissed him. The kiss was rushed but caring, as if it was life-saving. Nightwing smiled, he never knew how poetic his mind could get. Then something distracted his mind, the faints mourns of a person could be heard, quite close as well. Nightwing looked around at the other cells to see no one in them. Then he turned to his own cell, a huddled up shape was in the far right corner. He gradually moved closer to the shape when he saw familiar black hair and strong features of Red. She was still unconscious as her mourns sounded like she was sleeping. Nightwing gazed at her to see that she had cuts all over her skin and her jacket had chunks of glass still in it.

Red squirmed and shook off her jacket to show her arm in a cast and sling. The white fabric was tied neatly round her neck and the cast was placed comfortably on her stomach. Nightwing thought this curious since Scarecrow would never have allowed this to happen. He likes to see his enemies in pain, the fear of dying is worsened by pain. Nightwing quickly placed the jacket over Red's body. His mind quickly changed as he wondered about what had happened to Robin. And as if his wish was granted by a genie, the doors at the end of the room opened and Robin was shoved in by a couple of Scarecrow's thugs.

"Hurry Up Brat!" one of them said. He kicked Robin in the backside making him fall to the floor. His skin was also marked with cuts and his outfit had smaller glass fragments in them.

"Look who else is awake" the other thug said.

"How does it feel now to be behind bars, Nightwing!" they joked. Nightwing felt his mouth cringe as his anger rose inside his body. He looked at Robin who was so weak that he could barely keep his eyes open. The thugs opened the door and shoved Robin in. Nightwing would have attacked but one of the thugs brought out a pistol from his back and aimed it at him.

"Enjoy yourselves, it will be the last thing you do" the second thug laughed as they left the room. Robin grumbled as Nightwing helped him sit up against the bars. The wounds were fresh and looked more gruesome than Red's.

"What happened?" Nightwing asked, tugging Robin's shoulders up.

"We ... We were ambushed ... in the Medical Facility" Robin began, gasping for breath. "We saw ... Scarecrow ... he walked off ... waiting for us" Nightwing could remember Scarecrow and his men walking into the burning mansion just before the mysterious kiss. Robin coughed up some blood. "We woke up ... you were still out ... they took Red ... then me"

"And?" Nightwing pressured Robin. "AND?"

Robin passed out from the injuries and energy he had put in trying to stay awake. Nightwing stood up and huffed in both confusement and worry. "What did they do to you?"

"They were tortured" A new voice said, a weird male's voice with deep vibrations but with the feminine rasp over it. He sounded so close yet Nightwing could not see the owner. He peered into the dark corners of the room to find nothing. "Not in the nice way, I may put"

Nightwing could tell the voice was joking as he said that statement. "Show yourself!" Nightwing ordered.

"OK, OK. Keep your lycra on" The owner of the voice said as a shadow moved from behind the cage. It sort of glided into Nightwing's view, the shadows making it impossible to see him clearly.

"Who are you?"

"You'll probably guess when you look at me in the light"

"Step into it then" Nightwing began to get furious.

"I can't" the voice said. "If I do you won't trust me"

"Trust you, why would I want to trust you?" Nightwing shouted confusingly.

"I can get you out" the voice sounded more youthful as it challenged the pride in Nightwing's voice. "All of you!"

Nightwing turned to see the two past out friends on the floor of the cell. He needed to escape and stop Harley Quinn before she succeeded in her plan.

"What's the catch?" Nightwing asked as he wrapped his head around the mysterious person's agenda.

"Harley Quinn has to be stopped!"

"You share a similar goal to me"

"And many others, even her own guard want her her gone but are too frightened to see what would happen if they failed" the shadow moved closer to the edge of the sunlight. Nightwing tried to see the features of the person but it was still no luck.

"Here you are, talking to one of Harley's biggest foes. About getting him and his team out of imprisonment" Nightwing said sarcastically as if it was impossible.

"She needs to be stopped!"

"Why?"

"HAVE YOU NOT SEEN GOTHAM!" the voice was in ballistic mode now. "SHE IS DESTROYING THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF THIS CITY, DON'T YOU GET IT!"

"Of course I get it, I only stayed in this hell hole to find a way to stop her" Nightwing returned the blast. "Our lead ended here, something called Project: Wonderland"

The shape shuddered from the name. Nightwing became more anxious to see who this person was. "Project: Wonderland?"

"Yeah, I believe we were close to finding it but then something came along and started killing people in the base. Scarecrow and Harley Quinn want it safe for some particular reason, do you know where it is?"

"Project: Wonderland is closer now your in here" the voice laughed. Their was a familiar trait to the laugh.

"Can you get us out?"

"Yes" the voice replied solemnly. Nightwing cocked his head, the person hiding in the shadows understood him better than most people in the world. To get straight to the point, Nightwing didn't even know who the person in front of him was.

"Who are you?, please tell me"

The shadow sighed and stepped into the light. A step at a time, a pair of black combat boots came into sight. A set of black pants rose up toll they reached his waist line. They was a cut in he pants just above his left knee, a gun holster strapped to his right thigh with the gun still in it and multiple scrapes of dust and rubble. This suggesting that he was in the Mansion during the fire. The man wore two belts; one belt was to simply keep his pants up on his waist whilst the other one was a military belt equipped with multiple daggers, a couple of health packs and a small bow of indestructible wire. He wore a grey shirt underneath a dark red, sleeveless, leather jacket which was unfastened allowing people to see the bullet marks in the shirt. His bare arms were pale as a ghost plus a large cut was healing on his left arm. He wore a strap on his back that allowed him to hold two sawn off shotguns on his back, the handles facing upwards and outwards allowing him to kill people more easily. On each wrist he had a black leather band on, they were reinforced with some sort of metal so he could deflect hand held weapons. But then there was his face; a broad and strong youthful face with the same pale skin. His eyes had huge shadows under them, showing his tiredness of something. His hazel eyes gazed at Nightwing, he swore he could see the man's memories in them. Then there was the toxic green hair; messy and thick and ran down to the middle of his neck at the back. The features reminded Nightwing alot of the Joker.

"My name is Manne (**AN: pronounced Man-ne**) Quinn" Nightwing's mouth dropped in shock. Manne took this as no kind of insult. "I am Project: Wonderland and the son of Harley Quinn"


	26. The Devil's Son

Manne looked at the once great hero of Gotham with both worry and regret. Worry that now Nightwing will never trust him and regret for revealing that he was Harley Quinn's son. Nightwing just leant on the bars, his mouth dropped open and his entire body still weak from the previous nights events.

"But how?" he stuttered.

"How could she have a fifteen year old son?" Manne finished his sentence. "Your not the first one to ask"

"You can't be her son, your too old"

"Well I am, all of Crane's tests show that I am"

"Crane? You mean Scarecrow, he performed tests on you" Nightwing said confusingly.

"Yeah, you know: blood tests, fitness tests, mental tests and the odd radioactive test" Manne went through all of Scarecrow's tests on him like it was normal to be tested on.

"Radioactive tests, why would he do one of them?" Manne realised that Nightwing liked to ask a lot of questions and breathed out slowly.

"I don't know, Crane, my Mother and the thugs on this island are the only people I have ever known. They all said that these tests would be the solution to the world's problems."

"They actually said that to you" Nightwing asked.

"For the past year and a half"

"You also said you were Project: Wonderland" Nightwing wanting to confirm what he said.

"Yeah, the first book I ever read was Alice in Wonderland. My Mother noticed this and said that I was going to bring Wonderland to life"

"You know she is going to use you for something bad, right" Nightwing still wasn't sure about Manne being Harley Quinn's son but after hearing about the tests he was confident that Manne was Project: Wonderland.

"What do you mean?" Manne asked. "I know she's not a good guy after what she did to this city"

"She wouldn't have told you that if your her son"

"She didn't, the other criminals in the base told me about how she killed Batman. The she took over Gotham and made it into the Crime city of the world" Manne looked down to the ground as if he was disappointed, disappointed to be Harley Quinn's Mother.

"Well, thank god you know what she really is like. You haven't become deranged and psychopathic like what you Mother has turned into" Nightwing said, trying to raise up Manne's spirits. Manne's offer to help them out of the cage made them automatically allies.

"What! she was good before?" Manne realised what Nightwing had said.

"She was a Doctor, here at Arkhum Asylum, named Harleen Quinzell." Nightwing began his story, placing his arms through the bars and resting them. "She was young, enthusiastic and fresh out of psychiatric school. She loved the ways of the mind and how the environment can change them. But unfortunately, her first case was that of the super villain, the Joker. He was sick and twisted himself and easily did the same to her."

Manne was looking straight into Nightwing's masked eyes. He could tell that he was telling the truth. Nightwing could tell that the story of Harley Quinn had made him upset as Manne's eyes watered up.

"But she has still done bad stuff" Manne wiped away the water. His three guns shuddered as if they were apart of his body. "And if she is planning something that involves me, she has another thing coming"

Nightwing smiled, making Manne awkwardly laugh with his red eyes and sad emotion. "You OK"

"No, I have a super villain mother who is planning on using me for some evil plan and I'm conspiring with her enemies to take her down" Manne jokingly said although Nightwing could tell he really meant it.

"We can't leave yet" Nightwing said to break the silence in the room full of cages. Manne looked at him confused. "My friends are still passed out from the torture Scarecrow did to them and even if they do wake up. They will have serious injuries that will affect them in the future"

"Don't worry" Manne said as he brought something from his belt and showed it to Nightwing. It was a small black box that had small hoops on so it could attach to other things. Manne opened it up to show three needle containing a green liquid. Nightwing at first did not like the look of them. "These needles contain a drug that was made from one of my Mother's head scientists notes. It ill heal all injuries, waken the unconsciousness an revitalise energy to even the weakest of men. You three have them and you'll be ready to go in about an hour"

"You can't stay here for an hour" Nightwing said as Manne passed him the needles. "If your Project: Wonderland then they will be searching for you. Unless they know your here"

"They don't and they haven't found me yet" Manne joked.

"Yet?" Nightwing replied.

"Those dead bodies in the mansion, that was me" Manne leant on the nearest wall.

"You know how to kill?" Nightwing asked.

"Yeah, trained to use acrobatic moves to fight, like you do, by my Mother. Plus I have been trained to fight in the ways of an assassin, hitman, sharpshooter, wrestler and in the ways of every type of fighting their is."

"By who?" Nightwing was impressed of how trained Manne was to kill people. Only fifteen and one of the most deadliest people he had ever met.

"Some assassin guy, I don't know him personally" Manne joked.

"If you killed those men in the Mansion, where were you when I was there?"

"On the beams of the roof. I saw you enter the Mansion and how you took out them men. Then there was the explosion and I saw how it made you weak and defenceless. I rushed down and grabbed your arm before you went head first into the flames."

"That was you!" he shouted out loud. Manne rushed up to the cage and covered Nightwing's mouth with his hand.

"Yeah, I can't answer anymore questions. People are coming, they heard your shouts." Manne walked backwards. He grabbed some of the wire from his belt and swung it around him. He let go and it twirled through the air and round a gargoyle. He was about to push off when Nightwing stopped him.

"How do you know that men are coming?"

"I heard them running"

"How can you ..." Nightwing started but never finished.

"I am trained to" Manne cut him off and pushed himself onto the wall. He ran up the wall and followed the wire till he was on the gargoyle. He then used one of the open ventilation shaft to make his escape.

Nightwing smirked and turned back to the knocked out Robin and Red. He opened the case and took all three injections out. A note slipped out of the box and Nightwing quickly picked it up.

It read '_Sorry about the kiss, it just happened. Manne_'

Nightwing grew silent.


	27. Manne and his Anger Problems

"Why does my head feel so heavy?" Red said after finally waking up. Since her wounds were older than Robin's, the serum that Manne gave Nightwing healed her a lot quicker. Robin was awake but the cuts and bruises he gained were still visible.

"At least you can move your body" Robin complained as he was still propped up against the cell bars. The needle Nightwing injected him with was still by his side, along with the black case. "Nightwing, how about you?"

No reply, Nightwing hadn't spoken to them properly since they woke up. His body was clear of all the burns and bruises he received from the Mansion fire. He was standing upright and gazing down to the floor, his fingers twirling patterns on his chin and around his mouth. "Hello, Earth to Nightwing" Red said mockingly.

"Dick, answer us please" Robin pleaded his friend. Nightwing looked up from his deep concentration.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something" he replied.

"What were you thinking about?" Robin asked. Nightwing blinked a couple of times and sighed.

"How the hell we get out of here" Nightwing raised his hands to show that he was fed up of being confined.

"All you have to say is please" Robin looked up in a startle whilst Red gazed for the source of the voice. Nightwing didn't even bat an eyelid as he just turned around. Right behind him was Project: Wonderland himself, Manne Quinn. Everything was the same: boots, black pants, grey shirt, sleeveless jacket, an array of weapons and messy toxic green hair. However Nightwing didn't look at him the same.

"OK, I believe you are Harley's Son, you have the same speech almost" Nightwing whispered so that only Manne could hear. "But one thing I need to know before I even consider walking out of this cage"

"What's that?" Manne whispered back. As he came closer to the cage, Nightwing could actually see the similar features of Harley Quinn mixed in with all of the other features. The innocence in his face yet the eyes of a deadly maniac.

"Who is your Father?" Nightwing had to know. "To my knowledge, Harley would only be with one man."

Manne gazed wide eyed at Nightwing, as if it was an obscure question. "I don't know"

"If you know tell me, now"

"I don't know who my Father is" Manne became grumbled. "I've asked my mother and all she does is laughs and tells me to not think about it"

Nightwing raised his head and walked backwards. Robin and Red looked at him as if he belonged in the Asylum. "Red, Robin. Meet Manne, son to Harley Quinn"

Manne looked down in embarrassment whilst Red and Robin did the same thing as Nightwing did. Their mouths dropped and the expression of shock came up. "Really?"

"Yes, Robin, really" Manne said. His voice full of sorrow and anger. He wasn't directing it towards Robin however. "Do you want to get out of this or not?" He said to Nightwing, tracing a large square on the cage door.

"Should we trust him?" Nightwing asked to his two caged comrades.

"I don't know" Robin said. Red talked to herself.

"Red?" Nightwing asked. Manne's head flew up in shock as he saw the girl in the cage.

"He's too old" Red started. "There was a brief time when Harley Quinn was not seen for five months. If she did have a baby then it would be about one and a half"

Nightwing agreed with her but the scary similarities that Manne and Harley shared was still thick in his mind. "But can we trust him to get us out?"

"I say yes" Robin said, trying to stand after gaining feeling in his legs. "Never judge a book by its cover"

Red agreed with the statement. "Go on then, if it gets us out of here then its fine with me"

Manne cocked his head to Nightwing. He had a glare on that sent shivers down Nightwing's spine. "Get us out of here"

"All you have do is say please"

"Please, get us out"

"OK" and with one flick off his finger, Manne knocked out a square of the cage door. The square he had traced earlier was in fact being cut and only had to be pushed to remove it. Red and Robin smiled with excitement as they both headed for the square. Nightwing followed, staring at Manne who was roughly the same height as him.

"I got the note" was the only thing Nightwing said. Manne immediately breathed in his emotions, trying not to flip out.

"So we still trying to find Project: Wonderland" Robin asked, stretching his limbs. His cuts and bruises had healed up quick. Nightwing looked to Manne who just turned his head away from Nightwing's direction.

"Crane has a lab just passed the main hall, down the corridor. You'll find everything you need to know" Manne said.

"Wait" Robin shouted. "Aren't you coming with us"

The something answered his question. The doors on the other side of the room opened and many thugs ran into the room. Manne stiffened up and pushed Nightwing into Red and Robin.

"Go, these thugs are mine"

"But your only young, they'll kill you" Red shouted as Robin and Nightwing headed for the door.

"Not before I kill them" Manne said as he placed his hands on his belt. Robin returned and grabbed Red's hand, dragging her out of the room. Manne could tell that something was happening between them without even guessing.

The thugs surrounded Manne, each holding a weapon that could kill or knock out a normal man. But Manne wasn't normal. As he counted, their was twenty two men. Manne stood in the way of them and the trio of heroes that had just ran out on his orders. He smiled as they brandish their guns and baseball bats.

"It's just a kid, it won't be that hard" One thug said, obviously in charge of the group. He walked up to Manne and lowered his head. "You aren't going to do anything are you?"

"Wrong, I'm going to make you hurt" The head thug breathed in shock as Manne grabbed his head and brought it to his knee. The man screamed in pain as his nose busted open. Manne didn't stop, he quickly grabbed the man's gun and shot him through the gut. He then used the hole the bullet made to shoot six others that met their targets. Seven men down, fifteen to go.

Manne dropped the corpse just as multiple rounds of bullets started to fire at him. Instead of trying to dodge them, Manne ran up to the gun blazing thugs, jumped midway into the air, twirled as he tried to gain more distance and landed on one of the thugs heads. His hand gripped the thugs bold head as he did an upside down split. He then pushed his weight onto the thug making him topple. Together they fell but Manne's extended legs took out the thugs beside him. Three more down, twelve left.

Manne quickly grabbed his knives from his belt and started to run towards a pair of baseball wielding thugs. As he came closer to them, one started to swing his bat. Manne fell to the floor and slid on his knees, swiping the knives into both thugs legs making them cripple. He then put them out of their misery and shot them with his pistol. He then shot another four with it before he ran out of ammo. Six more down, Six to go.

These thugs were frightened of what Manne was doing. Manne quickly grabbed the wire from his belt and lassoed it around four of the thugs before tugging hard on it, making them clash together and knocking them out. That meant only two were left.

They were armed with large knives and weren't afraid of cutting Manne into little chunks. Manne then laughed as he dropped the two guns he had picked up. He then bent over and brought out two machetes from his boots. To make it worse for the thugs, he did some professional moves with them. They twirled and cut the air until Manne finished in a pose. One was above his head and the other lower than his waist. The thugs charged and as metals clanged, Manne flipped them over so they were fighting each other. They realised what had happened and together attacked Manne. He deflected them both but push one man's hand and cut him in the neck. Manne then grabbed the last survivors hand and pushed him forward. They were headed for the small window on the wall.

Manne gave a final push and the man's head became stuck in the window. "Didn't even break a sweat, God I need anger management" he joked as he gazed at his work and followed the trio.


	28. Regrets

Nightwing, Robin and Red hurried down the brightly lit corridor. They could see what Gotham looked like it the daylight; the city's eerie glow had disappeared but the rising columns of smoke from factories and many fires still hung in the air. Robin and Red walked side by side whilst Nightwing was in front of them wanting to get to the lab.

"Nightwing, wait up" Red said as she pulled Robin, trying to keep up with Nightwing. They reached the main hall in a matter of seconds, the place was squirming with wires and various types of machines that was all linked up to a giant antenna in the middle of the hall. No men were guarding it which meant that it was one of Scarecrow's failed experiments. Nightwing quickly ran past the machines and headed straight for the lab. The main thing is he wanted to know what Manne was and how he could bring 'wonderland' to life.

He pushed open the double doors to see the lab Manne had told him about. Monitors and fridges full of different serums and blood pouches were surrounding the main item in the room. A person size table with straps and buckles was situated in the middle of the room. Multiple spots of blood were scattered around the room but mainly around the table. To the left of the lab was all the records and personal notes of Scarecrow as he performed his experiments. Nightwing first went to the records just as Robin and Red entered the room. After seeing what Nightwing was doing they decided to look around as well.

"Nightwing what are we looking for?" Robin asked as he went to the fridges to see what Scarecrow was using. Red herself went to the table and looked at the monitors.

"Anything to do with Project: Wonderland" Nightwing said as he opened up another drawer. It was another five minutes before anyone spoke.

"My god" Red said as she flicked through the screens of the monitors.

"What?" Nightwing asked as he hurried to the monitors.

"Project: Wonderland is a person"

"So" Robin asked as he also joined them. Hie was holding multiple packets of blood each labelled with Scarecrow's handwriting.

"But it is not a normal person" Red began as she flicked the screen. Changing it to a silhouette of a man. "Scarecrow has been experimenting on him. Apparently to this, his veins flowing with a successful mixture of the TITAN formula."

"TITAN?" Nightwing said in shock. He knew that Manne was Project: Wonderland but he has also seen the affects of the TITAN formula. It makes you super sized and strong. You become a monster when using it and Manne looked like a normal teenager.

"That's not it, TITAN is only part of the mixture in the veins. The other parts are: Bane's Venom, that formula Freeze made for Harley, a liquid solution of a natural healing drug and a small amount of chlorophyll." Red explained as the stats of Project: Wonderland flew up the screen.

"What would that do to him?" Robin asked, still not sure what it meant.

"It would make him ..." Nightwing began. "More likely Indestructible"

"What does that mean?" Red asked, confused at what she had read out. Nightwing walked to the drawers of files and records.

"It means that he probably has three times the strength of a normal human wrestler, he will be able to survive in the Antarctic snow storms without wearing any clothes and not gain frostbite and the healing drug will allow him to heal quickly." Nightwing explained. The thought of Manne being able to do that was stuck in his mind.

"But what about the chlorophyll?" Red asked as she kept flicking through the monitors. Nightwing didn't answer. "Nightwing, don't blank out again. What does it mean?"

"It means" Manne said walking into the lab. Robin and Red smiled as he walked in, holding both sawn off shotguns from his back in his hands. "That Project: Wonderland will have similar abilities to that of Poison Ivy"

"You mean, control of plants" Robin asked.

"No, but the poisonous lips" Manne said, Nightwing lifted his head in shock. "However they won't be as poisonous as hers is, for it to get at level of deadliness then it would have to be continuous connection of lips for over ten seconds. Sometimes a normal peck on a weakened person would make them pass out"

"How do you know about that?" Robin asked as he placed the last blood packet back in the fridge.

"Cause he's Project: Wonderland" Nightwing said, the expression of sadness on his face.

"Your what?" Red and Robin shouted. "Plus your Harley Quinn's son?"

"Yeah and I can answer your question about me being fifteen when I was born a year and a half ago" Manne said as he walked more into a room. "On my birth, Harley Quinn trusted someone who had the magical arts of rejuvenation. They managed to reverse the process and make me older. Harley Quinn wanted me to be trained and ready for Wonderland."

"Who was that?" Nightwing asked. He gazed at Manne with deep regret for his actions towards him.

"A Talia Al Ghul woman"

"TALIA" they all shouted together.


	29. BOSS: SCARECROW

"So let me get this straight" Robin said, holding his hands out and placing them on Manne's shoulders. Red was sitting down next to Nightwing after finding out her closest friend in Gotham had been helping her greatest enemy. Nightwing was still sat down, staring at both Robin and Manne with his intense glare.

"You are the biological son of Harley Quinn who was aged fifteen years, by one of our closest allies, so that he could be trained to bring around a mysterious wonderland. Plus you have supernatural abilities from the experimentations your Mother authorized to be tested on you. Giving you super strength, resistant to freezing temperatures, poisonous toxins that can be released from your mouth, the ability to heal a broken bone in seconds and you have been trained in the arts of every type of fighting in the world"

"That's pretty much it, except the fact that I'm also immune from all toxic substances" Manne said proudly leaving Robin out of breathe and gobsmacked. Silence fell.

"Why have you got your guns out?" Nightwing broke the silence in the room. Manne realised he was holding both of his sawn off shotguns and placed them back in holders on his back.

"I ran out of ammo for my pistol and I don't think my machetes would hold off a ton of bullets" Manne said as he pulled out the blood stained machetes from his boots. Nightwing looked at them: the blade was arm length, the straight edge looked like it could cut through air and the metal was so clean it gave off a frosty reflection of the room. Manne placed the machetes back into his boots and walked to the monitors, turning them off.

"Won't it hurt whilst walking?" Nightwing asked.

"Not really, the handle sticks out at the top and I have a small strap in the boot that keeps the blade against the boot and not my leg" Manne explained. This was the first conversation he and Nightwing had without the tone of hatred or anger in either of their voices.

"Why are you turning off the monitors?"

"You like to ask a lot of questions" Manne stated the obvious. Nightwing was technically a crime fighting detective. "The monitors hold more data on me than what you have seen. After I turn them off, I will set this room on fire. Not only will it make me more confident in fighting my enemies but also it will gives us a quick escape."

"We can get to the chopper" Red said after getting over her shock.

"No" Manne said as he turned all of the monitors off. "Crane created a device that would shut off all technology on the island that wasn't embedded with his layer code."

"So we can't use the chopper?" Robin asked. Manne turned around, thinking that the only person in the room who was on the same wavelength as him was Nightwing.

"No but I have a transport waiting for us. It's in the unsecured grounds at the front of Arkhum." Manne explained as he stood in the middle of the room. "Right we off then?"

"We need our weapons" Red said. Manne had it all taken care of.

"There in the vault at the very top of Arkhum Tower. Two off us can go and retrieve them whilst the other two prepare the transport."

"Right then, move out" Nightwing ordered.

"Get off the Island and take down Harley Quinn. I'm up for that" Robin said in glee. Red smiled as she went up to him and hugged him. Robin blushed as Manne and Nightwing looked at each other. Nightwing holding his breathe and trying not to laugh.

"Let's go" Nightwing said. Manne quickly poured a pouch of liquid over the floor and took out a small grenade from his pocket. He saw that Nightwing, Robin and Red were safely out of range. He took out the safety pin and threw it in the lab. He rushed down the hall and turned around the corner as the room exploded. The liquid Manne placed on the ground made the fire spread quickly and consumed the corridor in flames in a matter of seconds.

The group had managed to get into the main hall as they saw the fire come round the corner. They closed the door and headed straight to the other side off the room.

"Going soooooo soooon" An eerie voice shouted at the group. They stopped and looked around. Manne knew straight away who it was. "We could have some fun before you go"

"Crane, let us go quietly" Manne said letting the others know who the owner of the voice was. They quickly formed into a square: Nightwing preparing his fists ready for a fight, Robin grabbed a rogue baseball bat from off the floor, Manne grabbed his sawn off shotguns and aimed them in the air and Red grabbed shards of broken glass from the floor and held them like they were shurikens.

"Oh, little Mannequin, I can't just let you go" Scarecrow shouted. The sound of Scarecrow's nickname for Manne made him grit his teeth in annoyance. "You see I won't get paid for babysitting if there is no baby"

"I am not a baby" Manne shouted in anger.

"You could fool me, that runs in your blood doesn't it" Scarecrow mocked Manne. The echoes off his voice made him more creepier than before. Then all of a sudden Robin coughed, followed by Red and then Nightwing and Manne. They could all taste something foul in the air, something that wasn't right.

"*Cough* He's using his fear gas *Cough*" Robin shouted towards Red who had buckled onto her knees. Red looked up to see the silhouette of a person walking up to her. They came closer when Red realised who it was, Victor Zsasz was gleaming his knife at her. She stuttered in her breaths as she tried to crawl back. Victor smiled as he came closer to her and slashing the air with his knife.

Nightwing looked around the room when he saw the horrifying scene from his youth. The huddled up pile of his parents on the sandy floor. The acrobatic team of the Flying Grayson's was cut short as both of Nightwing's parents were killed by a gangster. But then all of a sudden, their bodies moved. Their peach skin turned into a cold grey colour and their hair turned black. As they raised their dead heads, they showed the hungry red eyes and yellow teeth of the walking dead. Nightwing couldn't belive what he was seeing.

Robin didn't really have an emotional scar. However the thing that scared him the most was Batman when he was persistent on not having a partner. The shadows grouped together and formed the caped crusader. He had glowing yellow eyes and a sinister look on his face.

"You are a disappointment, Tim" the fake Batman said.

"I am not" Robin tried to fight his fear.

"You will never rise up to the standards of your predecessors" The deep voice of Batman echoed in Robin's ears.

Manne didn't know what his fear was and didn't want to know either. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them to see that the room had become twisted and warped. Bits of the floor and walls were missing showing the haunting world behind them. The wind picked up and lightning flashed. Small tiny pieces of ashes flew in the air which wither meant that Scarecrow was trying to symbolise what Manne had done or that the fire had spread to the main room. However much Manne wanted to go back to reality he was stuck in the Nightmare Realm, which Scarecrow controlled.

The floor shuddered as pieces started to rise into the air and shape into a platform. Scarecrow emerged into sight: his glowing needles for fingers, his sack for a face and the intelligent yet warped mind gazed upon his work.

"Give up Manne, my gas doesn't effect you like the others but it will shortly kill them" Scarecrow laughed as Manne turned to see what the other's were seeing. "You have my gift of sight in the gas, use it, help me kill them once and for all"

"I won't do it"

"It'll be like a dream, like they never would have existed, HA"

"NO!"

"You want freedom, you are indestructible, you are already free from the world. You could rule it" Scarecrow didn't sound as mad as he usually did.

"You forget one thing about me, Crane"

"What's that? I'm afraid you have started something and I don't like being afraid. HAHAHAHA" Scarecrow laughed.

"I HATE going to fucking SLEEP!" Manne yelled as he raised up one of his shotguns. Scarecrow's face seemed to have grown solemn underneath the mask as the mouth and stitches dropped. Manne pressed the trigger and out shot little white ammo that headed straight for Scarecrow. He hurriedly jumped off his platform and into the twirling vortex beneath them. Manne turned to see that Zsasz was already upon Red and was about to kill her.

"Red, fight knife with knife!" She looked over at him as he threw one of his daggers from his belt towards her. She was gripping Zsasz's knife hand with her right meaning her left was free. The blade skimmed over the fake Zsasz's head and the handle landed in Red's hand. She gazed at Manne for more support and all he did was nod. Red's face lightened up as she pushed with all her weight, making Zsasz bounce off. She quickly gripped the blade and slit his throat with it. As soon as she did that, the veins in his body turned yellow and his skin turned black. He then bursted in a golden light and all that remains were the ashes off his body.

Red and Manne saw what was happening with the other two. Manne quickly helped Nightwing by shooting the false zombie parents with his shotgun. They too had veins glowing yellow and their skin turned black, finally they exploded, leaving ashes on the floor. Red was with Robin trying to convince him it isn't real.

"Robin, it's not real. It's Scarecrow" she shouted over the howling wind.

"It's not my fault, I'm sorry Bruce"

"Bruce is dead. He was killed by Harley Quinn"

"I am worthy to be your assistant. Don't kick me out" Robin was on the verge of tears. Red did the only thing she knew would calm him down. She hugged him then kissed him softly on the lips. All of a sudden his body became more stable, his whimpering seized and the only thing he could feel was Red's lips on his. He opened his eyes and stared at her, too him she was perfect.

"Fight it" Red whispered.

"Your not real, Bruce" Robin turned to the false Batman and sneered. "In fact your Dead!"

At that moment in time, a long metal blade pierced through the middle of the false Batman and he exploded in the golden light. Robin gasped for breath as he saw Nightwing holding one of Manne's machetes. He hugged Robin and together they looked for Manne.

Manne was staring at the vortex in which Scarecrow jumped into. The other three joined him when the entire false dimension shuddered. Then out off nowhere, smoke appeared and formed a giant Scarecrow.

"Naughty Children, Time for BED!" He screamed at them. "YOUR DEATH BED!"

"I don't think so" Nightwing said as he and Robin charged at the giant Scarecrow. They jumped but all they did was bounce of Scarecrow's chest, making him laugh. He then swiped his hands and knocked the two heroes against the wall.

"Be careful, my touch is very paralysing!" He laughed as Robin and Nightwing realised they couldn't move.

"Oi" Red shouted. Scarecrow turned around to see her holding Manne's dagger in her hand. She jumped like Robin and Nightwing did, except she gained more height and slashed a long line against Scarecrow's arm. He screamed in pain as Red landed on the crumbling floor. She laughed at the screaming man in front off her until he turned his gaze towards her. He lifted his un-needled hand and made a fist. The floor beneath Red shuddered and started to crumble away. It also started to rain fast and hard, soaking Red, Manne and Scarecrow. Soon the floor had crumbled till they were on a ringed platform.

"Little girl, you have messed with the wrong person" Scarecrow said as he lifted his leg and kicked her into Robin. She laid paralysed, only her eyes moved.

"CRANE" Manne said, making Scarecrow turn around. He was holding one of his sawn-off shotguns and his face was full of hatred, like a warrior in battle.

"Bring IT!" Scarecrow screamed. Manne started to run when Scarecrow lifted his giant leg and brought it to the ground. He sent a shockwave which sent both the water and Manne flying back. Manne dropped his gun and landed on his feet. The gun laid directly in the centre of Scarecrow and Manne. Manne had a plan, so did Scarecrow.

They both charged, the pouring rain trying to slow them down. The pounding feet of the giant Scarecrow shook the entire floor. Manne was so close to the gun when he realised what Scarecrow was doing. He had raised his arm, ready to swipe. Manne did a familiar move and dropped tot he ground. His foot guided the way as he slid onto his back along the wet floor. He grabbed the gun as he slid past and as he was about to slide past Scarecrow's feet, he pressed the trigger.

"FUCK YOU!" He screamed as the white balls shot out of the gun and into Scarecrow's body. Manne was clear of Scarecrow as he fell onto his knees. Instead of glowing the yellow, his body started to crack and flames were pouring out of them. As the cracks became more and more, the flames fully consumed the giant Scarecrow and he exploded into dust and ashes.

The other three started to move as the fear dimension around them disappeared. As the room came back to normal, the group saw multiple men dead around the room. These were the core of each person's fears. A window on the wall was shattered, from where Scarecrow had jumped out.

"Let's go, I have a feeling that door and wall ain't going to last" Nightwing said as he walked off the remaining effects of the gas. The others gladly followed him.


	30. Something Explodes Again

Arkhum Asylum was almost completely covered in flames as Robin and Nightwing found Manne's idea of transport. A converted with a machine gun installed on the drivers side and a rocket launcher on the other. It was parked up in the main courtyard, just outside Intensive Treatment. They could see that the building on front of them had caught fire as well. The towering clock off the burned out Mansion was crumbling from all the excessive heat on the Island. As it did finally fall, it crashed into the Botanical Gardens, smashing glass and spreading flammable pores around. These immediately caught fire and set fire to the remaining buildings.

The only building that wasn't touched by the flames was Arkhum Tower, which was in the direct centre of the Island. As Nightwing and Robin they saw both ashes and flammable spores fly up to it. It was only a matter of time before it too was consumed by the flames. They quickly started up the Jeep and looked up to the tower. The outside was decorated with scary looking gargoyles and the intricate designs on the stain glass windows gave it a frightening feel. The perfect place for Scarecrow to stash all his weapons.

* * *

Red and Manne ran down the hall, a few more stairs and then they would be at the top of the tower. Manne was carrying a large bag full of supplies and ammo whilst Red carried a bag full of weapons. Red was also holding one of Manne's sawn off shotguns and was holding it in front of her just in case they met trouble. Manne held the other one but kept it by his side.

"Are they still behind us?" Red shouted to Manne. They both looked around to see the rabid animals after them. Three wild hyenas were chasing after them with bared fangs, bloody fur and madness in their eyes. They growled as if answering Red's question.

"Yes!" Manne replied as they turned a corner and headed up another flight of stairs. "Why did you let them out?"

"They looked hungry!" Red said as she recalled first meeting the hyenas. They were locked up in cages and their bowls were empty. Red and Manne only went into the room to collect some medical supplies. As Manne collected them, Red unlocked all of the cages and let out all three of the hyenas. They were thankful for release but as Red was about to pet one, it snapped it's jaws at her and just missed her hand. The other two pounced and were about to meet teeth to flesh as Manne kicked them both in the face. He gave her his shotgun and together they ran from the beasts.

"They were supposed to be kept locked in their cages at all times. Didn't you see the sign!" Manne shouted.

"What sign?" Red replied back.

"Never mind. DOOR!" he pointed out as they reached the to of the stairs. They quickly passed them and shut them tight. Red then grabbed a fire axe and slotted in the handles, not allowing them to open. The hyenas banged into the door but it dod not open. Manne and Red sighed in relief.

They looked around the room they were in to find they were on the top floor of the tower. The walls were entirely made out of glass and allowed Red and Manne to see the whole Island below. Everything was on fire: the Medical Facility, the Intensive Treatment building and the burnt down Mansion was on fire again. Manne knew it was only a matter of time before the flames reached the tower.

"We have about two minutes" Manne said to Red.

"Till what?"

"Till that door breaks down and maybe the fire would quickly consume this tower which is probably filled with flammable chemicals" Manne said as he walked in the direction of the courtyard. From the tower he could see Nightwing and Robin looking up at him, the Jeep was ready. He dropped his bag and quickly tugged the bag of weapons off Red's shoulder. She yelped but Manne wasn't bothered. He unzipped the bag and looked through it.

"I saw you when you were fighting Scarecrow" Red said as she sat on a desk, watching Manne.

"And?" Manne replied.

"You said you were trained in all types of fighting in the world" Red began her thoughts. "I saw some skills of the assassin, a trait that very few people know. You fought like a professional assassin."

"So?"

"They would take ten years to be at the level you are at"

"As I said, I was taken by that Talia Al Ghul woman to be aged fifteen years. She might have done something else, or my Mother has" Manne said the word 'Mother' with a certain twang other than his natural soft male voice.

"Maybe, is it possible to learn how to fight in a matter of hours"

"It could be, it was impossible to be rejuvenated but the League of Assassins proved that wrong" Manne said as he reached the bottom of the bag. He pulled out a small circular device and a crossbow with a rope attatched to the arrow. He quickly placed the device on the window directly in front of the Jeep. The door shuddered some more and the fire axe began to splinter.

"You have been experimented on your whole life" Red stated. Manne looked at her with the truth in his eyes. "You hated it, because you could nothing to stop it"

"That's why I'm doing something now" He replied.

"And what's that?" red asked standing up. The axe splintered some more after another bash.

"I'm not going to be the Villain" he laughed as he pressed a remote in his hand. Red didn't notice he was holding it because it was so small. The device on the window glowed red and the glass shattered. The warm air spewed into the room. Manne walked up to the gap and aimed the crossbow. He placed the lose end of the rope on the metal bar above the window, making sure the knot was tight. He aimed again and fired the arrow, it flew through the air and directly into the ground in front of the Jeep. Manne dropped the crossbow in the bag and zipped it up. He quickly hooked the bag up to the line and sent it sliding down. Red helped him do the same with the bag of supplies of medical resources.

"Right, you first" Manne offered the line to Red. She walked up to the line and felt a gentle breeze against her skin. The loose black threads of hair blew into her eyes. She placed them behind her ears and was about to push off when she saw something. A bright yellow speck was floating around. The only reason it stopped her because more followed it. They soon grouped around the rope when Manne realised what they were. "GET DOWN!"

He pulled from the line as they all grouped together and formed a small explosion. The surrounding glass shattered and bits of metal flew against the floor. "Bloody Poison Ivy and her pollen"

"They exploded" Red stated the obvious.

"I'll explain later, just put this on" He shoved a backpack in her hands. She quickly placed it on her back when Red realised that their was a string at the side. "We gonna jump out"

"Right, these will help us then"

"Too an extent" Manne said as he gave one of his shotguns to Red again.

"What's this for?" Her answer came quick as the door bursted open to show the three hyenas glaring at their prey.

"THEM!" Manne shouted as he started to run. Red followed as the hyena's reacted to the sudden movement. They were side by side heading for the window. "When we jump ..."

"I KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Red screamed as they jumped out the window. As they just left the platform they turned in the mid-air. Both of them aimed their guns at the hyenas. The three beasts jumped after them. All five of them were diving through the air and to the ground. When they had a perfect shot off their targets, Manne and Red pulled the trigger. The white orbs shot out of the guns and embedded themselves into the animals. Their bodies became limp in mid-air, showing that they were dead. Manne signalled to turn to the ground, Red did this.

"COUNT OF THREE!" He raised three fingers up, with the g-force it took some effort. He placed one of them down, then another leaving only one. As soon as that finger went down, both of them pulled on the strings. Parachutes popped out of the back and both Red and Manne started to glide to the Jeep. They landed with a thud and ran straight to the Jeep.

Robin and Nightwing had loaded up the bags and were getting ready to go. Red and Manne jumped on the back, breathing heavily.

"What do use as ammo?" Red curiously asked. She handed over the guns and smiled. Manne also smiled.

"Teeth"

"Whose teeth?" Nightwing asked.

"Whoever gets in the way on my timeless escapes" Manne laughed. The group left in the Jeep and watched as the remains of the Island burnt to the ground. Arkhum Tower collapsed from the heat, straight into the ocean.


	31. Splitting Ways

The Jeep drove along the muddy path leading away from Arkhum Island. The group all drove in silence as they were headed to the main road of Gotham City. Manne and Red allowed the wind to rush through their hair as they held onto the weapons they had retrieved.

"Where are we going?" Robin asked. Red and Nightwing thought it was good point since they were now probably on the city's most wanted list.

"I don't know" Nightwing said as he pulled up onto the road. It was littered with flaming cars and the corpses of thugs in them. Nightwing decided to keep to the smaller streets so that they wouldn't catch attention.

"City Hall" Manne said out of the silence. The other three looked at him as if he was mad. "What?"

"That's going deeper into the city" Red said, loading up a shotgun.

"Yeah, what's the matter with that" Manne replied back. "Harley would never suspect it and we won't be the only ones there"

"What do you mean?" Nightwing asked. He was swerving round corners with speed and velocity. The way Nightwing was going, he was heading to the City Hall without realising it.

"Many other criminals and thugs have made it there hideout" Manne explained.

"We aren't criminals, well I am" Red said, smiling at Robin who just hummed to himself and sighed at her. "These two won't be welcome there"

"Yes they will"

"No they won't"

"They will when they hear what they have to offer!" Manne shouted over Red, making him the victor. Nightwing and Robin looked confused at Manne's words.

"What DO we have to offer?" Robin asked.

"The downfall of Harley Quinn" Nightwing suddenly slowed down the Jeep and turned into an alleyway. He stopped and turned to face Manne.

"How exactly can we do that?" he looked at Manne with deep and commanding eyes. For the first time, Manne became a bit scared.

"The thugs are all scattered around the city, if they all combine forces they will be an army big enough to tackle the forces of Wayne Enterprises"

"We still have to get Freeze's medicine to Alfred" Nightwing shouted back.

"It will at least take another day for everyone to head to the City Hall" Manne explained. His hands skimmed through his hair as he tried to tone down the anger. "If we are successful and make the call for the takedown. Then one of us can take the medicine to this Alfred person and be back in time"

Everyone sat in silence. They had two options to choose from; Manne's plan to gather an army and bring about the downfall of Harley Quinn or to simply run from her forces till the get the chance.

"Manne's plan is more effective" Robin said, weighing out his options. "But it is also riskier"

"How would we even get to Alfred, the roads outside the city are blocked off?" Red asked, stating a good point. Manne's face grew gloom, he hadn't thought about that part.

"It took me about a day to get here on foot" Robin said. "So imagine if that person had the Jeep. They should be there in half the time"

"How do we unlock the gates though?" Nightwing asked furiously. He was getting quite annoyed from everyone not being able to make up their minds.

"You don't have to" Red said. Everyone was now looking at her. "Well the last thing I remember about the take over of Gotham was that there was a final report. A news report from Vicki Vale, just outside the walls at the Diner"

"How is that important?" Nightwing asked rudely.

"As far as I know, they ran away on foot. They left the van" Red explained her idea. It was a good idea, if it hasn't been moved.

"So someone gonna use the van to drive to Alfred and deliver the medicine" Manne said. "Who knows how to drive?"

Everyone but Robin raised their hands. Robin's head sunk into his shoulders, Red patted him on the back and made him smile. "If it was a helicopter, I'd be fine. If it was a bike, I'd be fine"

"Who knows how to get to Alfred?" Nightwing asked. Robin raised his hand as the others lowered theirs. "We have a problem"

"Two people are going to have to go" Manne said as if he was reading Nightwing's mind. Nightwing smiled at the young green haired teenager.

"Robin has to go with a driver" Red said. "I'll go"

Robin's face lit up like Christmas tree. "Robin if you getter any brighter, everyone will know about you and Red"

Red and Robin turned around to Manne who was smiling. Nightwing was trying to hold back the laughs but failed. "Were off" Red said as both her and Robin left the laughing pair alone.

Nightwing eventually stopped laughing to see that Manne was smiling at him. "What are you looking at?"

"Nalt, just curious" he said walking off. Multiple thoughts ran through Nightwing's mind of what Manne had meant. "Nightwing"

"Yeah" he said catching up to the boy.

"You know the argument we had at the Asylum"

"The second conversation I had with you, yeah"

"We got talking about my Father" Manne said solemnly. Nightwing was expecting the question. "You said you only knew one person my Mother would be with."

"I did, didn't I" Nightwing felt sorry for what he might have to reveal.

"Who was that man?"

Nightwing sighed. "The Joker"

Manne stopped in his tracks. Nightwing turned around to see him, his face in shock. His mouth open and hardly breathing as his mind wrapped around the answer to his question. His eyes darting around, his body seemed to go weak and his hands became tight as they went into a fist.

"Is it true?"

"It is more likely"

"Great, I have two psychopaths for parents"


	32. Manne's Pain

Manne became saddened and depressed after finding out the possibility of his Father. He slumped up against the cold wall as Nightwing drove the Jeep out of the ally and round the other side to collect him. As the Jeep pulled up to Manne, he entered the vehicle and they sped off to City Hall. Manne was still quite as he reloaded his sawn off shotguns and pistol with real bullets.

"So how do you know about City Hall if you have been on that Island all your life?" Nightwing asked. Manne looked up and gave a weak smile.

"Crane" Manne's reply shocked Nightwing. He thought Scarecrow was allied with Harley Quinn. "I know what your thinking. Crane was faithful to the person in charge before my Mother. When she came for his work, he had to agree or die."

"So why would he tell you this?" Nightwing looked at Manne although still trying to look to the road.

"Crane was always be horrid to me, like he was back at the Asylum. But he made a deal with me about the experiments. For every experiment I allowed him to do, he would tell me something about the City"

"Do you know anything else important?"

"Not really, except where every major villain and thug groups are?" Nightwing looked to Manne in confusment. Manne turned and immediately went wide eyed. "What?"

"You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?" Nightwing shouted over the roaring engine. His tone of accusation drilled through Manne's bones. "Everything?"

"Not everything" Manne replied in a softer voice. "I didn't plan the kiss"

Manne made the final move, he had cornered Nightwing into shock. The only thing he could do was drive. They shortly came to the marble building with the letters 'Gotham City Hall' nailed on in gold. As the Jeep stopped, Manne immediately left the vehicle and ran up the stairs and to the front doors. Nightwing followed him, grabbing his battle rods from the bag of weapons first.

"Manne, wait up"

"Im fed up of waiting" Manne replied sourly. As Nightwing caught up to him, Manne had already opened the door and was heading in.

"Manne!" Nightwing tried to get his attention. But something else caught his mind, Manne gazed as he saw the empty reception area. Nightwing wasn't quite as shocked but was confused. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know" Manne said softly. His eyes darted around the cracked marble walls and pillars. Broken windows spilled through day light, making half of the room covered by a giant shadow. He stepped into the hall and followed the shadow until he saw a pair of stairs. "They might be up there"

Manne didn't even glimpse at Nightwing, making him feel uncomfortable. He just walked on and left Nightwing in the middle of the room. "Manne, I'm sorry!"

Manne stood dead in his tracks. His head raised up like he was thinking. He turned on his heels and stared Nightwing in the face. "For what?"

"For treating you wrongly" Nightwing began. Ever since he had lost his parents, he had never liked to show his emotions. But on the occasion he would just let it all out. He was known for being with drawn with his feelings. "The second time I met you, I made you disliked me and just then I accused you off using you"

"Richard?"

"I just don't know what to do. I've grown to trust you and being in this city for two years, you treat the people you trust as friends. I don't care what sexuality you are. I'm sorry but you just remind me off ..." Nightwing was cut off by Manne's hand. He was so lost in his apology that he didn't see Manne walking up to him. Manne looked up into his eyes to make sure that Nightwing would understand him.

"Richard" Manne controlled his voice. "I don't care about previous arguments with you or your habit to assume I'm something. The only thing that annoyed me was that I have been a disappointment all my life; to Crane, to my Mother and to the Wonderland. For the short time I have lived, my mother has tried to make me into my Father. Crane told me what she was like around him but never actually told me who he was"

"How do you know my first name?" Nightwing smiled. He asked this question on purpose. Manne to smiled, he obviously got the joke.

"I seriously just told you my life problems and your wondering about how I know your fucking name" Manne said sourly. He obviously didn't get the joke. "And stop with the fucking questions, I'm not a walking computer"

Manne let go off Nightwing and walked off. "Manne!"

_**(AN: A BoyxBoy moment here. If it offends you just skip it and continue to the next chapter ... or wait till I upload it)**_

"WHAT!" he turned around.

"I'm going to do something, don't let me fall to the floor"

"What the ..." Manne was silenced as Nightwing's lips met his. In an instant off touching and breathing, Nightwing went limp and collapsed. Manne caught him and looked gobsmacked at the unconscious person in front of him. He rested his forehead on Nightwing's chest and breathed out.

"What have you done, Manne?"


	33. The Room of Thugs

Nightwing woke up in a daze. Faces were staring down at him, ugly ones. They were covered in dirt and gashes and some of them looked like they needed a shave. Nightwing kept blinking till the faces came into focus, his head pounding like someone had hit him hard. I tried to move my hands but I just felt a sharp pain and then numbness.

"He's waking up" A gruff voice said. Even though his vision was blurred, Nightwing could tell it was one of the five men around him.

"Should we get the Boss?" Another asked.

"He's busy" A more deepish voice growled. A head jerked up as if it was an offence.

"Doing what?"

"Don't know, it involves Harley though"

"Psycho Bitch?" Another shouted loudly. "How did she find out we were here?"

"She hasn't, I said it involves Harley, not it is Harley!" The growling person said. "Listen Numbskull".

Nightwing couldn't help but laugh inside. "Why is he smiling?"

Nightwing quickly realised he must have been getting control back if they saw him smiling. He tried to move his hand again, no luck. He then tried his feet; it nudged to the left a bit but that was it. He opened his eyes a bit more to see he was in some sort of parlour. Empty bookcases held many weapons and trophies won by the thugs, two big broken chairs were pushed up against the walls, curtains were closed shut over the windows and a huge marble fireplace was caging a roaring fire. Nightwing almost sighed to realise that he was warm for the first time in months.

"Should we restrain him?"

"Boss said not to touch him. He said it was equal to a death wish" Nightwing thought whether that was a compliment to him or if the 'Boss' would kill anyone who touched him. Nightwing, growing tired of not being able to move his body, put all his energy into moving. He concentrated on his body and shoved himself upright. His body swung through the gazing heads and sat up straight. The thugs surrounding him all jumped back in shock, two of them grabbed pistols and aimed at Nightwing.

"Wait, Stop!" Nightwing yelled, holding up his arms. The thugs still didn't budge their pistols. "Chill, you woke me up"

The thugs lowered their weapon's, staring at each other in confusment. Then their stares turned to Nightwing. "Sorry Mate, everyone is a bit jumpy, as you can see"

"Living underneath Harley's nose doesn't help" Nightwing joked as he stood up, gaining strength in both off his legs.

"It's the price we pay for our lives" another thug said. Out of the five, only two of them had proper beards; the other three had patchy stubble. "You'll probably want to see the boss"

"It would be nice" Nightwing stretched his arms when something clicked in his mind. "Why are you treating me nicely?"

"What'ya mean?" The gruff one said. The others mimicked his confusment.

"Well, I've probably put in prison before today and yet you haven't shot, swore, injured or spat at me yet"

"Oh, Boss said not to hurt you when he dragged your body in here"

"Who is the Boss?" Nightwing asked and a pair of glass double doors opened. A man strode in, his presence was felt round the room.

"Why couldn't you guess from the building?" The man said in a charming way. His face full of smile and a hopeful future, although Nightwing could only see his right side. The man looked like he was still talking to someone. His shining black hair was gelled back, his white suit showed he was someone with power and his stance was all to familiar. He gripped a black revolver, marked with deep scratches and looked like it had been in a fire.

"We always knew you were just as stupid as Bat-Freak" Then the man turned fully. While his right side was charming and in a white suit, his left side was completely the opposite. The left side of his white suit was black, Nightwing thought it looked like coal after being burnt. His face was horrifically scarred with red raw skin, small bits of flesh cover some of the visible bone and the gelled black hair stopped halfway along the top of his head; then it became a burnt bold head. The arm of the black side was in tatters, threads hung loose from his forearm, whilst his hand held an old fashioned silver revolver.

"Two-Face" Nightwing said sourly. Two Face grinned with his normal half whilst the scarred half moved some of it's disfigured muscles. He walked more into the room, his power from being an old district attorney and a crime lord remained with him as he seemed to grow as he came closer to Nightwing.

"We here you have a proposition for us" Both sides of the face moved as Two-Face communicated with Nightwing. A thud noise came from the room behind the double doors; Two-Face grumbled as if he was being told off.

"I do" Nightwing said as he peered behind the street lord.

"Concentrate!" Two-Face said as he hit Nightwing over the head with the black gun. Nightwing recovered quickly and scowled, the bad blood between the two men was no secret. "Don't give us that look, we am not responsible"

"No but Harvey Dent is" Two-Face recoiled at the bitterness coming from Nightwing.

"Your here for a purpose, speak or leave you hands to fate" Two-Face brought out a coin from his jacket pocket. As he held it between his burnt fingers, he flipped it to show both sides. One side, shiny and perfect, whilst the other was burnt and scratched.

"Two Words, Harley Quinn" Nightwing shouted just as Two-Face was about to flip the coin.

"What about the bitch?"

"What if I said I knew how to take her down?"

"You have both our attention, the bitch has made us go into hiding" Two-Face's frown fell even more. Nightwing looked around the room, five thugs but he could hear bustling and chatter coming from other rooms.

"As I'm guessing, I have been past out for a few hours" Nightwing looked around, everyone agreed with him. "That mean's almost twenty-four hours ago, I infiltrated and escaped Wayne Enterprises". Everyone around him gasped or breathed in awe at him. Even Two-Face looked a bit happier to know that Wayne Enterprises wasn't what it was made out to be.

"Why were you in there?" A thug said.

"My main reason there was to help a family friend, however, whilst there I recieved some information from Harley's head scientist. You know him as Mr. Freeze" The group yelled in disgust at the name. Two-Face became agitated at the name. "What?"

"The walking iceberg was one of us. He helped us escape our last hiding spot, giving himself up to Harley. He was of the main leaders of this group, he knew where we would go next. The ass-hole changed his allegiance and told the bitch. Just wait till I get my gun in his face!"

"So, Mr Freeze was working for Harley" No one answered, just stared at Nightwing. "But he led me and my friends to ..."

"Arkhum Asylum!" Two-Face screamed. His voice seemed to grow rougher, as if his personality had changed.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Nightwing asked.

"The third most un-accessible fortress in Gotham. Everyone knew the bitch was doing something there but those who tried to find out have been killed." The smarter thug said.

"Well we escaped that place as well, with Harley's top secret operation." Nightwing said, the cockiness regaining in his voice.

"What is it!" they all shouted.

"Her son!" Nightwing said, everyone became silent. Nightwing guessed they would do this, hell, he did the same when he found out about Manne. Something else clicked in his brain, where was Manne?

"Impossible!"

"She got up the duff, with who?"

"How old is he?"

"Joker, obviously"

"Why is he important?"

"Calm do ..." Nightwing tried to speak.

"Harley did it with Joker?"

"Sick!"

"Gross!"

"Disgusting!"

"LEAVE MY MOTHER'S SEX LIFE OUT OF THIS!" A strong voice shouted. Everyone turned to see the green haired teenager standing in the doorway. His expression full of anger and power. Nightwing stepped back, believing that his double powered TITAN strength would kick in. But Nightwing couldn't help but look away, Manne seemed different before he passed out.


	34. The Revolution Begins

Nightwing waited in the dining room for Manne to finish talking with Two-Face and his most trusted thugs. He heard screaming, shouting, gun-fire, what sounded like a head-but and Manne taking control of the room again. Different thoughts poured through Nightwing's mind; the emotional teenage boy who was raised up in the crime capitol of the world and the deadly weapon who was super strong, skilled in all fighting techniques and has chemicals pumping through his blood.

A door then opened, in walked Manne. He smiled at Nightwing but only was returned with a look of confusion. Manne's smile disappeared.

"What is it?" he said walking up to Nightwing. Nightwing didn't respond. "Richard, please, tell me what's wrong"

"I don't know" was his only reply.

"About what?"

"You"

"What about me?" Manne showed annoyance in his voice.

"Who you really are" Manne felt a surge go through his entire body, Nightwing's thoughts still pounding in his head. "Whether you are my friend or your Mother's weapon"

Manne looked as if he was dying, his face turned pale and his face lost all emotion. He stood up and started to walk away from the room full of thugs. Nightwing looked up, he knew he had hurt Manne's feelings. "Harvey is ready for you, don't fuck it up!"

Manne stopped himself from running out the room. He left Nightwing alone and in silence. It was another minute before Nightwing moved and entered the other room.

Two-Face stood amongst the five familiar thugs. "We don't have much time, cut to the chase"

"What did Manne tell you?" Nightwing asked. "If you want my help, tell me what he said to you"

Two-Face and the thugs stared at him with a flame burning in their eyes. "Everything that happened at Arkham Asylum"

"So you know what he is" Nightwing asked, following on from his other question.

"He explained to us what the bitch had done to him. We still don't know why he is needed"

"I don't know that either. But I do know what Harley's plan include." Nightwing stared at the five thugs and the half disfigured crime lord, waiting for an expression on one of their faces. "When she took control of the city, many civilians left and formed camps wherever it was safe. Harley has been going out of the city and collecting them."

"Why would she need civilians?" A thug asked. Two-Face looked at him as if to tell him to shut up.

"WONDERLAND, everyone we have met or fought, who have been working for her, has talked about WONDERLAND" Nightwing couldn't believe how he sounded, it reminded him off Bruce being Batman. "Manne Quinn is a part of it, so are the civilians and many off the people she has under mind control"

"We know off this mind control. Our own men have been taken and a few days later are apart of Harley's army. They have something on their bodies that make them believe that Harley is right" The intellectual thug said. The gruff thug snorted.

"It's not a good experience, let me tell you that. I was under the control of one of them machines, you feel like you are losing your mind" Nightwing gazed at the men in the room, hoping for some sort of sympathy.

"So what is your plan, it's all good telling us about what she is doing, but how do we stop it?" The smart thug asked, Two-Face did not sneer at him.

"As I have heard, even with Harley collecting people, the numbers of criminals and thugs still in the city and hiding outmatch her army"

"That is mostly true. Harley only picks the strong or talented ones" Nightwing then started thinking about Red, she had told him what she had to do to survive. "The one's that aren't strong enough either go under them machines or are kept at one of the three prisons she has set up"

"What are they?"

"The old GCPD building, Blackgate prison and Arkham City" Two-Face spoke up. "We can see where you are coming from"

"And we like it" The rougher voice came out again.

"We need to round them up. Gather them here, it's big enough, Harley won't even notice since she will probably be busy looking for her son"

"There is some old radio technology that we could use"

"No too obvious, Harley will probably have them monitored" Nightwing thought for a little bit. "The only thing I can think off is going out and actually searching the entire city."

"That would take days!"

"How long have you survived under her control?" Nightwing fought his point.

"Two years" Two-Face said.

"What's a few more days going to do?"

"Won't it be obvious. I mean if we do find them all, the activity here will be immense" A thug asked.

"By the time we have collected all of the thugs still in the city, we would have enough to match Harley's forces" Nightwing said as he was thinking it. Everyone was looking at him for the rest. "We release the prisoners from the three buildings about half an hour before we attack Wayne Enterprises"

"That's crazy, she'll know were coming then" the gruff one said.

"Yes she will" A new voice had entered the conversation, all to familiar and full of power. Manne strode in like he was lord of everything. "But it will be to late, half an hour after the simultaneous breakouts we will attack and she will only be half ready"

Nightwing looked to Manne, his face representing both sides of his parents. He had the makings of Harley Quinn's cruel beauty and the Joker's sadistic glare. "My Mother would have gained her group forces and ready and called all the helicopters to return. This would happen five minutes before are intended attack"

Everyone was silent, they looked at each other and slowly nodded. "We agree"

"IN A WEEK, THE BITCH FALLS" Two-Face's evil side came out again. The thugs all cheered and ran off to tell the others. Two-Face, Manne and Nightwing were the only ones left in the room. "I don't care if this fails. I would die before being taken by that bitch"

Two-Face walked out the room. Nightwing turned to Manne, hoping he wasn't still hurt. "Manne, I'm so ..."

"Don't even dare" Manne growled. "I would kiss you again, so I would not hear you talk, but I'm afraid with all the toxin in you blood I might kill you"

"You don't want to kill me; is that because you care for me or that you would be killed by Two-Face"

"BECAUSE I FUCKING HAVE FEELINGS FOR YOU!" Manne screamed. As he stared with anger at Nightwing, blood started to pour out off his eyes. The pattern they made down his cheeks reminded Nightwing off tears.

"You cry blood" Nightwing said as he tried to place his hands on Manne's face. Manne stopped him.

"Just ... don't"

"No" Nightwing swung round Manne and brought him into a tight and embracing hug. "I am sorry Manne, it's my nature. Ever since Bruce adopted me, he taught me to be wary off everyone. I was brought up like that whilst you were brought up to be a weapon."

Manne didn't look up at Nightwing but instead sobbed into his chest. Nightwing didn't care if blood was all over his jacket, Manne needed some sort of comfort. "You know I hate you"

Nightwing smirked at Manne's false comment. Manne even chuckled a bit but the thought off Nightwing's un-trusting nature changed the way he thought about him. "Thank God, I listen to my heart" he whispered to himself.


	35. Loss of an Ally

Robin and Red were driving smoothly down the dirt trail. Red was right about the news van, it was parked right outside the burnt down diner. Robin found a digital watch that was still working. They had been driving for two hours: talking, gazing and the occasional kiss between each other. As Robin could tell, they were ten minutes away from the settlement. After living out in the vast wilderness, the rocks and lifeless trees became familiar and were used to find out where he was. It was still night, meaning that the air was a lot cooler and the dirt was more settled. But his mind was on other things: Alfred, Nightwing and Manne, Harley Quinn and finally Red.

"Your cute when your in deep thought" Red said, breaking the silence and Robin's track of thought. Robin faced her; her black hair was flowing in the wind, her skin was illuminated by the moonlight and her smile immediately lifted up his inner feelings.

"Your beautiful" Robin replied, making her blush. She turned her head to make it look like she was driving. Her smile grew wide and Robin started to chuckle at her embarrassment. He really did think she was beautiful though.

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course I do" Robin almost squealed. His voice reached higher pitches when he was in disbelief. "Why wouldn't I think that"

"Your not the first person who I've had feelings for" Red's smile soon disappeared. "However, you are the first one who hasn't been a jerk"

"I would never be a jerk towards you"

"I know you won't. Cause now if you do, I'll just kick your ass" They both laughed. Robin looked outside to see a small patch of dead trees, signalling they were about five minutes away.

"When we get to the settlement, I'll go and deliver the medicine to Alfred whilst you wait in the car"

"Why?" Red both asked and shouted. She thought for a second he was going to act like a sexist jerk.

"Because, these people haven't seen a vehicle in under two years. One of them are bound to try and steal it" Robin sent hope back into Red.

"OK then" she agreed. Though the memories of her first love haunted her possibly more than her families murder. "How far are we away?"

"We are about two minutes away. You probably can see the settlement as we pass this ... OH GOD!" Robin shouted as he jumped out the van. Red didn't know what he was looking at until she past the rock Robin was on about. Robin was running towards the settlement, his athletic build gave him both speed and persistence in his run. The settlement was in flames.

"What the hell?" Red said as she drove after Robin. Mostly every tent was on fire, food was scattered across the dirt and the occasional line of blood marked the ground. As far as she could see, Red saw no dead bodies. Smoke rose high above the burning site and the smell of something foul flew into Red's sense of smell. She parked up the van and grabbed Talia's sword, she made sure she had this with her at all times now. As she walked towards the beginning of the carnage, she stepped over broken pieces of make-do furniture. She looked around for Robin who was no where to be seen. The wind was howling in the settlement, the fire seemed to react badly to the cool air. "ROBIN!"

"Over here" he replied. Red rushed to the position of the cry; Robin was staring at the biggest tent to be one fire. Bits of gadgets were destroyed and burnt as the flaming tent peaked at its height. Robin seemed to be more concerned with something on the ground, something untouched by the flames. A electronic wheelchair, with one of its wheels missing. Red could tell that this meant something to Robin. "She's gone"

"Who is, Robin?"

"Barbara" Robin sniffled at the name. He began to cry softly. "She's gone"

"Whose Barbara?" Red wanted to make him feel better but she didn't know the extent of what Barbara meant to him. "Tim, please tell me"

Robin looked up, his eyes puffy and tears trickling down his face. "She's my friend"

"No, I mean, she seems to be more than just a friend"

"She was Bat-Girl, she saved my life twice" Robin revealed. Red became shocked, she had heard about Bat-Girl and how she took a bullet through the spine for Batman and Robin. She knew how much being saved meant. She then lowered her sword and dropped it to the ground. She sat next to Robin and placed her arm his. She interlocked her fingers with his and led her head on his shoulder. Robin stopped sniffling and peered at his love. "I love you"

Red looked up at the handsome guy in front of her, she tilted her head and kissed him on the lips. Robin met her passion and kissed her back. Soon Red started to push her weight onto Robin, forcing him backwards. They gently led down on the dirt floor, continuing their passionate kiss. The surrounding's didn't bother them, however their inner demons soon started to work and one of them broke off. Robin was too focused on the task at hand to do this with Red. They looked each other in the eye and knew they had to stop their urges for each other.

"We have to get back" Robin said. Red sighed and rested her head on his chest.

"Can we just have the night alone"

"I don't know" Red looked away and Robin felt like, too him, he had said the wrong thing. "Yes, we can just have the night alone"

Red looked up and smiled. "Thank You"

She kissed him on the lips and turned her head away from the fire. Robin looked at it, for one thing it was keeping both him and Red warm.

* * *

The next morning, Red woke up first to realise that Robin had placed his arms around her in a tight embrace. She fluttered her eyes as sunlight filled her vision. By the way Robin's breathing was calm and relaxed, she could tell he was still asleep. The fires around them had died down over night, apart from the big tent which was in its dying stages. Red managed to move her body out of Robin's grip. She gazed at Robin and thought he looked more like a child when asleep.

"Trust me to fall hard" She jokingly said as she walked around the settlement. She walked past the tents hoping to find someone, alive or dead. She shifted through piles of ash and dirt, looking for clues as to what happened. Then noises shuffled past her, noises that sounded like fast footwork. Footwork all to recognisable. "Hello, Is anyone there?"

She looked in all directions but the smoke rising was to thick to see through. Red knew a tactic similar to this, something was going to attack her in five seconds. Five, more noises could be heard. Four, more dirt and smoke piled into the air. Three, tiny scrapes of metal could be heard faintly. Two, Red stayed where she was. One, something shot out of the smoke at her. A blur flew through the air at such speed, Red almost didn't defend herself. However, as the blur came closer she quickly lifted up her leg and stopped it in mid-air. The blur turned out to be a man dressed in a grey suit. His mouth was covered with a bandanna and his light blonde hair seemed to curl even more in the wind. As he was flipped through the air, three more blurs appeared and surrounded Red as the man recovered. He landed on his feet and hugged his stomach. He then started to chuckle, making Red seer in disgust.

"Well, you've still got it sunshine" the man said, his voice full of sarcasm. Red couldn't help but sneer his name.

"Dante" the man seemed to pleasure the fact that Red still remembered him.

"Argghhh, you remember me, how sweet" Dante joked. Red looked around the other three. They were all wearing black with Harley's signature symbol on their backs. Each wore a black leather jacket, pants easy to move in and a belt with a sword scabbard connected to it. It was only by that time did she recognise that all four of them were holding swords similar to Talia's katana. Except theirs was a lot smaller and looked like they were made out of weaker metals.

"What are you all doing here?" Red said as her memory tried to catch up with her. It had been so long since she had faced these people. Dante, in his grey suit, Fernando, with his black hair and tanned skin, Tommy-Lee, with his countrified curly hair and then their was Angel, the only oriental person of the group.

"We are here to inspect our work" Angel spoke up, there seemed too be no dominant leader.

"You did this"

"All of it" Fernando joined in. His black hair flickered in the wind, allowing Red to see the scar across his left eye.

"You've got something ... yeah ... just there" Red mocked by pointing to her left eye. Fernando sneered at her, Red realised that around each other they acted like animals.

"An unfortunate accident between me and Harley Quinn" he solemnly sneered.

"He means he tried to over pass me and try to take over the group, against our law and oath" Dante regained control.

"Why are you here in the first place?" Red asked them all. "Miles away from the person you were made to protect"

"Special orders" Dante revealed but nothing else.

"To kill innocent people, to burn down their homes. Your as mad as she is" As Red said that, Angel raised his sword as if to attack but was stopped by the glares Red was giving him. "Ah, still bound by oath. Never to kill one of your own unless ordered by the highest authority"

"Harley Quinn hasn't requested your death" Dante said, his hand still tight on the handle of his sword.

"You still haven't told me why you are here, not properly anyway"

"Collect and destroy" Tommy-Lee said in a thick southern country accent. "Those were the orders we were told to follow"

"You 'collected' the people. Where?" Red asked. Dante was giving evils to Tommy-Lee, trying to get him to be quiet.

"Back at Gotham, where she keeps all the people" he replied.

"You dimwit!" Angel shouted at Tommy-Lee.

"Never mind, he's only young" Dante defended his ally. "We have to be off, don't want to miss the celebrations."

Then all four of them blurred into speed as they ran to four heavy black shapes, hiding in the smoke. As the activated the shapes, Red realised they were engineered motorbikes only after they sped off back towards Gotham.

"Red, where are you?" Robin's voice shouted, obviously woken up by the roaring engines to find Red gone.

"Over here" she replied, still gazing at her four ex-allies. Robin came running towards her with her weapons and snakebite.

"Are you OK?, babe" Robin couldn't believe what he had just said. Before he fell asleep he thought about how he could make being with Red special. So he thought off a couple of names to call her. Even though there were emotions welling up Red's eyes, she knew she had to get back to Gotham.

"We have to go, without my knowledge, Manne's plan is going to fail" Red said as she dragged Robin by the hand, again.


	36. Return of a Legend

*_Two days later_*

Manne walked through the now busy City hall, apparently alot of thugs and criminals wanted to see the downfall of his mother. Although he was pleased that he had managed to start a revolution that could actually work, he wasn't so pleased at what the outcome could be. There was three options he could take.

One. He could continue down this path and organise a successful attack on his mother's forces. Also leading to the pain and heartache of Harley Quinn, seeing her only child turn against her.

Two. The plan could not go successfully and he would be treated as a traitor, if he survived, and looked down upon by everyone. Even Nightwing, Robin and Red. He would truly be branded as Harley Quinn's weapon.

Three. He could leave, betray everyone and remain hidden from his mother. He was free, that is all he really wanted. His initial plan was to use Nightwing and his friends to escape Arkhum Asylum and then leave them. That was before he developed feelings, before Nightwing had kissed him again and before he had already planned Gotham's salvation.

"What do I do?" He whispered to himself as he walked past mumbling criminals. Some of them became really quiet as he walked by, thinking he was a spy for Harley Quinn. To their shame, they didn't know about his super human skills. Especially his super human hearing.

"I don't trust him, never will."

"He's related to the bitch"

"With Joker as his Father, you can expect him to be messed up"

Manne didn't respond to any of them, he heard most of them before. He just continued his work: counting heads, weapons and thinking off new strategies to infiltrate the three prisons Harley had set up around Gotham. He was headed to Two Face's office by passing through the huge entrance hall. However, Manne was unsettled by the look he received off one of the less stable criminals in the hall. He wore a dark hood that covered his face and had a belt that had a small but wide knife scabbard on. Manne looked away from the criminal and hurried up the familiar marble staircase.

He opened the double doors leading into the small cut off section. Manne closed the doors behind him and headed through the frosted glass doors, leading to the room full of tables and maps acquired whilst they all went out in search off other thugs in the city. Manne looked at the maps, they had acquired detailed blueprints of the GCPD building and Blackgate Prison.

"Still no on Arkham City" Nightwing and the five thugs Two Face trusted most looked up and shook their heads. Nightwing acquired a smile just by looking at Manne. Manne to smiled. "Well keep working on entry and escape, Nightwing help me with the teams"

Nightwing laughed with the thugs and followed Manne into Two-Face's private office. Manne knew Two Face was still out looking for more criminals on the run. "What did you want me for, Manne?"

"You guessed that I lied about the teams bit" Manne smirked.

"We sorted them out yesterday remember. The weaker ones do the prisons whilst thee more well built and trained fighters were at the front line"

"Yeah, I know. By the way I've calculated, we'll be done in three days" Manne said.

"So" Nightwing replied. They were getting closer and closer to each other.

"What if one of us dies, or is disfigured?" Manne's voice rose a bit high. "This is the breaking part that I must know"

"Why are you asking this now?"

"I was born over-emotional, with heightened senses comes heightened emotions"

"That doesn't answer my question" Nightwing said, his voice full of concern and worry. "Why are you asking this now?"

Manne gazed into Nightwing's eyes and let go off his emotions. "Batman, you were close, his death must have affected you?"

"It did but I was strong, I got through it"

"I don't think I will be that strong" Manne lowered his head.

Nightwing raised his finger and tilted Manne's head back up. "Your heart is pumping around a super strength formula, you could kill a man by squeezing their skull"

"My abnormalities don't come into account"

"Neither did Batman till you brought it up" Nightwing falsely smiled. Manne brought up a touchy subject.

"I'm sorry Dick. This is all new to me"

"I remember feeling like that; when Batman took me in and trained me, I was prepared in skill but not in mind" Nightwing revealed.

"You obviously got over that" Manne laughed.

"But Batman's gone, it's just us" Nightwing looked at Manne when his face glowed up. His expression changed into that of someone figuring out the cure for a deadly disease.

"Dick, your brilliant" Manne yelped and kissed him on the cheek. Nightwing didn't pass out from the toxins but he felt a tingle of pain as they met his skin. Manne dragged them both out of the office and into the room of thugs, Two Face was there. His normal half was smiling at the progress they were gaining whilst his disfigured side was scowling. "I have a plan to distract Harley, giving us more time to gather the army together"

"What plan is that?" Two Face said.

"Batman" Everyone became silent.

"He's dead" A thug said. Manne laughed and walked around the tables to the one with the blueprints of Wayne Enterprises on it.

"Thus, giving us more effect"

"For what?" Nightwing asked.

"The supposed 'resurrection' of Batman" Manne revealed. Nightwing knew where he was going with this. Two Face had a basic understanding. "Harley Quinn fears nothing now, but what if an old fear comes back from the dead"

"She'll be spooked" The gruff thug said.

"She'll also be worried about that than the prison breakouts" Manne revealed the true nature of his idea. "Oh just wait"

Manne moved past Nightwing and walked up to Two Face and the thugs. Nightwing was gawking at Manne as he placed a hand on Two Faces shoulder. Manne squeezed his hand and Two Face fell to the floor, unconscious. "What did you that for?"

"I want Nightwing to be the new Batman, if Two Face knew, he could turn on you in the future" Manne replied.

"What about us then?" The gruff one spoke up in shock.

"Say anything and I'll kill you all" Manne threatened, power came on in his voice and the thugs were immeditaly nodding their heads in agreement. Manne turned to Nightwing and smiled. "We need a bat suit"

Nightwing was smiling with pride. If he was falling in love, he was falling in love with someone who understood him well. He knew how much Batman meant to him, Manne knew how much he had wanted to make Bruce proud. Manne walked past and smiled at Nightwing. Just as Manne left, Two Face started to wake up.

"What happened to us?"

"You fell asleep" Nightwing laughed.

"I told us we needed to relax more!" The evil side came out. A loud crash interrupted them all as Red and Robin jumped through the door.

"Robin, Red" Nightwing rushed into a hug. "Did you succeed?"

"Later, where's Manne?" Red was gasping for breath. "He needs to know about the horsemen"

"The what?" Everyone replied.

* * *

Manne walked down the hall, proud of himself. He looked around, trying to find the knife wielding thug from earlier. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. Manne was fine to get a continued feeling of joy from being proud and making Nightwing happy. As Manne walked down the hall, he veered to the left and headed to the living quarters. He was given a room by Two Face, next to Nightwing's, so he could sleep in peace at night. He found his room and entered it.

Inside was a make do bed with black sheets on, a stack off books Manne had taken from the records office, a window that allowed some sunlight to brighten up the room and a small drawer that held some clothes Manne had acquired from certain empty shops. Manne laid down on his bed and grabbed the top book off his pile. He started to read it when he suddenly felt tired. He coughed. Manne continued to read even though his eye lids were closing tight together. He became so tired that he placed the book down and looked over the room. His vision was blurring, shadows moved in the room and Manne became sort of dizzy. He tried to stand up. His legs wobbled, he couldn't properly stand up. Manne then felt something running down his face, his touched the spot with his fingers to find out it was blood. He followed the trail to his eyes. He walked forward but a sharp pain in his chest sent him to the bed. He couldn't move, he tried to move but none of his body parts responded to his thoughts. He looked up, all the shadows in the room came together into one shape. The shapes lifted up what seemed to be an arm, an arm that shined in the sunlight.

"You think you can win" A voice said. It was deep and harsh like a threatening whisper. "You think you can break the very foundations of her city"

"Yes" is what Manne wanted to say but what came out was a painful mourn.

"You feeling like everything around you is collapsing at the moment. A gift I received from an old friend of yours, Scarecrow, I think his name was" Manne wanted to grab the man by the neck and strangle him. The man placed a weight onto Manne's skin and a sharp pain ran through his body. The man did this repeatedly over his chest and arms until Manne passed out.

* * *

Red and Robin were running towards Manne's room. Two Face was in front, leading them.

"What's the rush?" The normal side said.

"Can't you do this by yourself" The evil side joined in.

"No, Manne needs to know this now" Red said as they turned down the hall to the living quarters. They were reaching Manne's room when Red smelled something off in the air. She stopped outside Manne's door. "Can you smell that?"

Two Face and Robin sniffed the air. Two was by the door when he turned and sniffed. "It's stronger in there"

Red didn't even bother to knock, she slammed herself into the door and knocked it open. All three of them stared in horror as they saw a man wielding a knife over a passed out Manne. Blood was all over the sheets and some was even splattered on the floor. "GET OFF HIM!"

The man jumped back and pointed the blood drenched knife at Red, who was closest. "Stay back, or I'll cut you up girl"

"Your not the first man I've dealt with who had a thing for pointy objects" With Red saying that, she gripped the handle of the knife and pulled it. The surge towards Red as he was pulled by her surprise attack. As his body was going to hit hers, Red twisted the knife in his hands and pointed it at him. The man's body slammed into the knife. The man breathed his horrible last sinking breathe and died in a pool of both his and Manne's blood. When Red looked up she saw Robin and Two Face standing over Manne.

"What has he done to him?" Robin said in a high pitched tone. Two Face didn't let Red have a proper look at Manne because he picked him up and carried him out the room. Blood pouring out off his body more.

"He's lost a lot off blood, he could die if we don't hurry!" Two Face yelled. He wasn't going to lose the nearest thin he had to a weapon against Harley Quinn.


	37. Hope Forever

Red was pacing up and down the small corridor leading to the personal rooms. Robin was resting his head against the wall, both of them had a look of worry on their faces. They knew what was behind the wall, they knew how bad it was. They had even stopped Nightwing from going in and seeing the damage done.

"Do you think it's right not letting Dick in?" Red asked Robin. He looked in up in deep thought and din't answer for a couple of minutes.

"Yes, it would destroy both of them. Nightwing for seeing Manne and then Manne for hurting Nightwing" He looked down, confused how he knew so much about them. Red nodded quickly as she waited, her emotions running high. She hadn't known Manne for less than three days and yet was counting him as one of her closest friends, maybe the fact that she never had any friends growing up. Then she focused on Robin, she and him got together on the same night as her trying to shoot him down. She giggled to herself. "What?"

Red looked at Robin, she had forgotten he was in the corridor. "Nothing, just flash backing"

"Tell me, I like to hear about your flash backs" he said smoothly.

"Really"

"Well, I like to hear you speak. You show your strength in your words" Red wanted to pick him up and take him into a private room at that very moment but she stopped herself.

"I was thinking off the night we got together" Red said awkwardly. Robin smiled.

"It was a good night in my eyes" he laughed. Red laughed as well. She had forgotten about the situation they were in until the door opened. A man in a long robe came out, his hand covered with blood, Manne's blood.

"Well?" Red shouted quickly. The man frowned at this first but then looked normal.

"We couldn't do anything to help him, we didn't have the right equipment"

"So ... he's gone" Robin asked, standing up and comforting Red. Red was about to flood with tears.

"No" The man said, stopping Red from crying because she was confused. "Apparently all those chemicals Scarecrow pumped into his body has come out good for him."

"He's healing himself" Red asked, still confused.

"Yes, his body just won't let him die. I can predict that even if a knife was cut deep into lungs, he will still heal himself"

"So, he can't die" Robin sounded more confused than Red.

"I wouldn't say that since out of all the cuts on his body, the ones closer to his heart seemed to heal almost immeditaly. If his heart was the main target of a knife or bullet then I don't think he would survive" The man firmly said and walked away. He left the door open so that his colleagues could follow him. Red and Robin looked at each and decided to close the door and lock it. Two Face had given them a key just in case they thought they would need it.

"Do we tell Nightwing?" Robin asked.

"If he's not allowed to see I say yes, he should know his 'boyfriend' his healing up"

"I don't think they are even going out" Robin joked. "They are more like friends with benefits"

"What would you call us?" Red asked.

"Definatly going out" Robin quickly squealed as he rubbed his head. Red smirked and walked off, giving the impression she was angry.

They headed towards the main planning room. They expected Two Face and Nightwing to be there, plus the five other thugs. When they entered the room, everything was being packed up. Nightwing was cleaning up Manne's desk, carefully folding up all the maps and charts.

"What's going on?" Robin asked. No one looked at him but one of the thugs passed him and answered.

"We've sorted everything out, Two Face want's these locked up so no one can use them and tell Harley about it" he said in a gruff voice. Robin agreed with Two Face's plan, Batman would have done the same.

"We were supposed to be spending time on kiddo's plan" another thug shouted out. Nightwing tilted his head, they were on about Manne. "To dress pretty boy over there as Batman and scare the crap out of the bitch"

"Manne thought of that?" Red said. "He keeps giving you high titles to live up to"

Nightwing bolted up. "What is that supposed to mean?" He snapped.

"I mean, first he gives you the job of gaining Two Face's trust and now he wants you to fill Batman's boots" Red replied in a louder voice. "It's like he's looking up to you dude."

"Oh, Sorry" He said quietly. He walked back to Manne's desk and continued to pack up. "Have they finished with Manne yet?"

"No, they are still in the room with him" Robin said firmly. Red wouldn't have sounded that real, she would have gave it a way she was lying. Nightwing shuddered and walked out of the room, carrying the box full of Manne's stuff.

"Are you sure they are just friends with benefits?" Red said as they found themselves alone.

"No, I lied about that part" Robin said as he sat on the empty desk. Two Face came out of his office and half smiled at the young people in front of him. Red looked, he was holding the blood splattered suit in his hands.

"Were getting rid off it" he said normally.

"By burning it" the evil side said. Red looked at the half deformed man in front of her.

"Why are you helping us?" she asked.

"We have the same goal, the bringing down of Harley Quinn" he replied.

"As I have heard, your not one for joining forces"

"It gave fortune to your predicament"

"What?" Red said. Two Face pulled a silver coin and flipped it at Red. She caught it and turned it in her fingers. One side was shiny and dazzled the shape of a man's head. Whilst the other side was scratched and burnt. Red knew instantly that the coin represented Two Face in a way. "What does this mean?"

"It landed on the good side when Manne asked me to flip it"

"You risked our lives by using a flip of a coin" Red shouted.

"It's the way I am, kiddy-girl" Two Face laughed as he left the room. Red became annoyed at Gotham's super villains and their stupid ways.

"I'm not a kiddy-girl" Red stuffed.


	38. The True Nightwing

"We are going for the final stages tomorrow night" Two Face shouted amongst the building. He was addressing them as if he was back in the position of District Attorney. Nightwing, Red, Robin and the five main thugs all stood behind him. "You have all been told about our plan to take control of Gotham, by releasing our fellow brothers from their prison cells"

The room started to mutter, some shook their heads in disagreement and the others looked blankly at Two Face. Two Face took control of the situation. "After the freeing of our trapped comrades, we then have thirty minutes till we aim our growing army on Wayne Enterprises. Taking out Harley Quinn's rule of us." The room cheered in glee. A gruff glee but still a happy occasion.

"So how do we get the others out?" A skinny thug said. He stood in the front row, dazzling off his array of bombs and guns.

"We have made detailed plans and tactics for a successful entry and escape" The smart main thug said, stepping forward, next to Two Face. "Whatever happens, the prison breakout is a sure thing"

"It's the actual attack on Wayne Enterprises we are worried about" Red joined in the rally. "We are not prepared to send you lot against Harley if all you are going to do is run away"

The thugs all muttered with each other. Nightwing looked at them all and all he could think about was Manne. Manne risked his life to get where they were today, Manne risked his connection with his Mother just so he could see a better future and Manne was the one who was lying in bed after almost dying. Most of the thugs looked like they were disagreeing with the plan.

"If you with us, raise you hand" The gruff thug asked. About a fifth of them raised their hands. The main podium became glum, Nightwing became infuriated. He clenched his fists as the criminals all began to laugh at their obvious failure.

"I'm not having this" Nightwing declared at took on the crowd. "LISTEN UP!"

The hall became silent. "You know who I am, I probably recognise some of you" The crowd grumbled. "You could walk out of here and not join us in the attack. Fine, your just a bunch of spineless cowards. You can hide from Harley and hope that when she finds you, she will have mercy because you were not part of the attack. BUT she will still kill you, for fun." Nightwing showed his true self, a young person thrown head first into the life of a crime fighter.

Red and Robin were taken back at his lash out, the crowd of criminals even became shockingly silent.

"Harley Quinn has gone gone too far, you now live in fear. Fear to sleep, fear to talk and even fear to stand up. Well her time is coming, it is ending. Her own son ..." The crowd started to mutter. "Yes she has a son, Joker's son, who is the reason why you are safe in this building. If it wasn't for him, you might have been caught by the wandering patrol groups. I have been in Wayne Enterprises no more than three days ago, I have met Harley face to face. She has people hidden in the city, people who used to live here. She has kidnapped them and is planning something bad."

Most of the men became restless, most of them had family or lovers who had fled the city. Nightwing felt like he had most of the audience on his side. "Now I will ask a question" The criminals waited for him. "WHO WANTS TO SEE THE FALL OF HARLEY QUINN!"

Everyone roared. Nightwing smiled as they all fist punched the air, brandishing objects that could be used as weapons. The thugs on the podium joined in with the fist punch whilst Red and Robin joined in with the roars. Two Face, sort of smiled. He then took the stage back.

"Now we have that sorted, everyone collect your stuff and meet back here in ten minutes. You are going to need to be prepared" He challenged the crowd. They all yelled and ran off to collect their weapons or anything that could be used as a weapon. A knife twiddling thug walked up to the group.

"Names Smokey, Smokey McDowell" he grinned. "What do you need me to do?"

"Is he on the list?" Two Face asked Nightwing, he searched through a box and brought out a clipboard. He flicked the pages and looked up.

"Nope, I say he came in with the morning lot" Nightwing said. Red gazed at Smokey, his belt filled with multiple knives and his right thigh had a loaded holster attatched. He had a bold head, bid bruising eyes and his nose and face was slender and small like a fox. He was wearing dark clothing, nothing special. "You'll be on the front-line for the main attack"

"No wait" Red said, placing her hand on the board. "Who's leading the Blackgate team?"

"Urmmmm, Grumpy over there" Nightwing pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. The gruff thug looked in surprise as everyone looked at him. He huffed at the name. "Sorry we didn't know you name so we gave you a nickname"

"Well, swap them. As I heard Grumpy is good with a gun. However, Blackgate doesn't have many firing points. When Harley attacked the prison first she used fist first men, no gunners or snipers." Red explained. "He'll be good for a distraction. I also think by the way he makes that knife dance, he could give a couple of the horsemen a run for their money" she laughed.

Smokey looked at her confused. "Horsemen?"

"A group of four incredibly trained men who's main goal is to do Harley's bidding. They are skilled in sword work and camouflage" She said as she gave a 'it'll be fine' look to Smokey.

"Are you sure Red?" Nightwing asked. Robin stepped up and patted her shoulder. Red nodded. "OK, Smokey you are leading the Blackgate assault."

Smokey smiled a geekish smile and walked along to where he was standing. Nightwing and Two Face turned to Red and Robin. "So none of the big ones are going on the prison breaks" Robin asked.

"No, we are needed just in case the breakout's don't work." Nightwing said as he walked off, leaving the clipboard with the smart thug. Red could tell by the direction he was heading, he was going to Manne's room. The place where he was attacked.

_**(AN: I have to say that I'm sorry if the last couple of chapters have been boring. My mind has been pre-occupied. However I can swear to y'all that there will be a big finale. I hope I will do y'all proud)**_


	39. The Fortress Circle

Two Face, Nightwing, Robin, Red and the five main thugs all lined up outside City Hall. The last of the prison teams left over two hours before. The remaining army of thugs all waited inside, armed with heavy clothing and damaging weapons.

Nightwing, Robin and Red changed their outfit's due to damage. Red was now wearing a tight white vest that showed off her features. Robin found it hard not to look. She also wore a pair of pit crew overalls, the arms tied tight around her waist. Her assassin gloves were still in good condition and she carried around Talia's sword in its scabbard. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail however it flared out due to it's shortness. She had also acquired a pair of dark sunglasses.

Nightwing was wearing similar to what he had on before except he had removed the black leather jacket and swapped it for a brown one. He also kept his mask and battle rods with him.

Robin had completely changed from his battle suit to some rags Two Face gave him. A black hoodie, black jeans and a pair of combat boots. He kept his belt however, complete with his shurikens, explosive gel and grapple gun. He also wore his mask, identity was everything for him.

They were preparing for the attack, if everything went well then they were about to receive a large amount of built up thugs to their cause. They were going for the forward strike. No one leaves the fight to come unless instructed to by Two Face or the main five. Harley Quinn wouldn't even see it until it was to late. Night quickly fell, giving them the perfect cover. Wayne Enterprises was lit up in the distance, the fortress had expanded and was covering over fifty or more blocks of the city. The walls surrounding it was heavily protected and probably armed with a strong torrent of foot soldiers. Harley Quinn was no doubt on the top floor, looking upon her city. She wouldn't be able to see City Hall though, due to the other high rising skyscrapers around it. Red also explained that the Horsemen (Harley's Private Guard) would be inside the building rather than outside.

"So we surround the tower from a distance and when we close in, we attack" Robin asked.

"Yep sweetcheeks" Red said, sounding like a military general. She smiled, although her eyes couldn't be seen through the sunglasses, Robin still found himself mesmerised by them. "Most of us have basic guns"

She pointed to Two Face who was carrying his duo pistols. "Won't they run out of ammo"

"Let us worry about that kiddy-girl" he laughed. Red wasn't pleased with her nickname.

"Leave him be, his deformed half has made him mental" Nightwing tried to calm her down.

"I'm going to smash the other side in a second" she grumbled. Red however was drowned out by the sound of feet running slash shuffling. Everyone looked worried, thinking it was Harley's army coming for them already. But to their surprise, Smokey was leading a whole street full of gun wielding thugs towards City hall. The five main thugs (Grumpy, Doc, Ballistic, Humanoid and Dancer) all rushed to the new troops and explained their plan. Smokey left them and walked up to Red and Robin. "So how'd it go?"

"It went fine, we lost about twenty seven men but managed to free all the prisoners and kill the guards" Smokey said, pleased with himself. The five thugs returned to Two Face and nodded. Everything was ready to go.

"Right, MOVE OUT!" Two Face yelled. Everyone began to shuffle. Nightwing looked back at the crowded hall in sadness. Red and Robin looked at each other.

"WAIT!" A voice shouted. It's echoes resonated in the huge hall. Everyone grew quiet cause everyone knew who the voice belonged too, except the newcomers. Nightwing was more eager than the others to see the source of thee voice. Slowly the crowd in the hall started to split in two as someone walked through them. A figure in a tight black and red hooded leather jacket was the centre of everyone's gaze. The figure had their hood over their head, making their face unknown. They also wore tight pants and knee high combat boots with multiple buckles and a red pattern on the back. A sword, similar to Talia's, but a lot flatter and more symbolic was attached to their waist. Along with a gun holster and ten packs of ammunition on their belt. As the figure move passed the crowd, they headed towards Nightwing, Red and Robin. "You weren't going to leave me behind were you?"

"Manne?" Nightwing whispered. Manne shuddered under his hood. He looked up at Nightwing to see if his face was still covered. "Why are you wearing your hood up?" his comment confirmed it. The newcomers all started to whisper about who the person in front of them was. Smokey moved down and told the first one he bumped in to. His eyes went huge and told the next person.

Manne turned around to Two Face, Red and Robin who looked down to the ground ashamed. Well Red and Robin did, Two Face only half looked to the ground. His evil side sneered in a way. Without even moving a step more, Manne radiated with both power and seductiveness. No one could explain but they couldn't take their eyes off him. His left hand gripped the flat handle of the sword tight. Red looked at the sword and her eyes went wide. She didn't say anything but Manne could tell the question she wanted to ask was at the tip of her tongue.

"They know why?" Manne said, commenting about Two Face, Red and Robin. Nightwing looked annoyed at them but then forgot about it as he turned back to Manne.

"Yeah, I don't though" he sort of pleaded. Manne looked down in sorrow, then lifted his head. He lifted his right arm and gripped the top off his hood. He pulled it down. Messy green hair poured out from the hood, bits of it was tinted red from blood that wasn't washed off properly. His skin looked no difference but his face still made everyone gasp. Everything was perfect about him; his hazel eyes were now a toxic green, his features were small and handsome and face was something to look at. The only thing wrong with his face was the gaping scars at the side of his mouth. Raw pink skin flicked up both cheeks, which ironically formed a frightening and gruesome smile. Nightwing froze. Manne looked away from him.

"Yeah, it's the family smile" he sadly joked to the gawking crowd. Robin saw the healed up wounds and he could not help but think off the Joker.

"Weren't you supposed to heal better than any normal human?" Robin asked for Nightwing. Manne turned, with both a frown and the eerie smile he looked like he was about too kill.

"The guy stabbed me multiple times and then cuts these into my face" Manne pointed at the scars. "I was on the verge of death, not even I can survive that and not come out without any scars"

"Where did you get that sword?" Red blurted out of nowhere. Manne looked at her then the sword.

"I found it yesterday, I sneaked outside and found it in the alleyway. Why?"

Red seemed to both smile and look wary at the sword. "It used to belong to Apollo, No. 1"

"Really?" Manne replied.

"Whose Apollo?" Doc asked.

"You know the Horsemen, well they used to be eight. I was one of them before I was on the run and the other three were killed, trying to find the Riddler" Two Face hissed at the Riddler's name. "Apollo was ranked number one of us all. He made that sword himself, if used correctly it can cut through stone"

"So he's dead" Robin asked.

"Very, Harley received his head in a package" Red laughed. Manne turned to Nightwing then to the crowd of thugs, waiting for them to finish their conversation.

"MOVE OUT!" He yelled, they didn't hesitate. They rushed out of the hall and started their circle around Wayne Enterprises. The plan was that the main leaders of the revolution would take on Harley up front, through the main entrance. Robin took Red to the side and whispered something in her ear. He then nodded and walked off from the main attack. Manne watched as he took his Jeep and drove off towards the rich side of the City. Nightwing was still frozen until manne placed his hands on his face.

"Your scarred" he whispered. Manne smiled and placed his head against Nightwing's chest.

"You know what to do, if you have to do it" Manne said.

"What do you mean?"

Manne laughed to himself and pulled Nightwing to follow the rest of the revolution.

"Future Reference" he smiled.


	40. A Legend to Past

Rain started to pour down. Everyone seemed to use it as an advantage, to hide themselves better. Wayne Tower could be seen from every direction of the city. The bright lights lighting up the ground floor and the searchlights beaming up into the air made this possible. Manne could see the visible wall of defence around the heavily armed fortress. He was standing on a block of flats when he jumped down next to Nightwing and Red, along with many thugs just waiting for the signal. Two Face was waiting across the street behind another building. Dancer was right behind with a similar amount of thugs. The air was silent as everyone prepared for the signal.

"What are we waiting for?" A thug asked, eager to get into battle. Manne looked at Red, leaning on a huge bazooka gun. She wasn't paying attention and was looking at the ground. Manne nudged her in the arm and she came back to reality. She smiled an awkward smirk and walked out into the middle of the street. She used a wrecked car as cover. As she aimed up, ready for the perfect shot against the wall gates, two helicopters came into view. They were circling the building and looking down upon the streets. She looked at both sides for reassurance. Two Face and Nightwing nodded to her whilst everyone waited.

"Here goes nothing" She lined up the shot perfectly. "Boom Bitch!"

She pulled the trigger and the small missile launched out of the gun. It flew down the street as the circle surrounding the tower from far away started to close in. Two Face and Nightwing led the group they had down the main street, Manne and Red close behind them and the rest of the thugs howling in the night. As the missile hit the wall and most of it exploded, the helicopters looked around them to see the approaching circle. One went south and the other started to hover down the main street. As it came closer Manne screamed.

"Nightwing" who was a few feet in front of him. "Sprinter's position"

Nightwing knelt to the floor and exposed his back. Manne ran faster and used his back as a jumping point. He surged off Nightwing using his super strength and flew into the air. The Helicopter started firing rounds of bullets, moving the line up till it was aiming for Manne. The ground troops hid behind buildings and cars as Manne sailed through the air. As the line came closer to him, Manne pulled out his sword from it's scabbard and deflected a few bullets. He came up to the helicopter and sliced his sword through the main compartment. Glass and blood poured over the street as the craft started to fall. Manne reached inside and kept it hovering.

"Red, take control of the chopper and find the other one" he shouted over the propellers. Red left her position and headed to the craft. Manne lowered it to the road, allowing Red to hop in. She flew off and headed for the other chopper, firing missiles at the ground of the tower as well. The circle continued their advance. As Nightwing could tell, they were about twenty metres from the fight zone. Soldiers started running out of the hole in the wall and straight towards the advancing army. Men armed with guns started firing when they had a shot. People started to fall on both sides. Nightwing unclipped his battle rods and started to attack the first soldier he came in contact with. He only confused them for the people behind him to kill. Manne furiously swung his sword in tactical movements and killed all those in his way. Two Face swaggered up the road and shot Harley's soldiers in the head. He even shot one before they could sink their knife into Nightwing's shoulder. They nodded thanks and continued the assault. Some soldiers on the wall started firing at the oncoming wave and a few thugs fell immeditaly. As the rebelling army entered the fortress a mass number of soldiers poured out of the tower and started to attack.

"Richard" Manne yelled as he found himself separated from him. He thrashed down his sword on a oncoming soldier and looked around. Whilst doing this he noticed himself surrounded by four big muscled soldiers. They closed in on him, looking wary at the raw smiling scar on his face. One thing Manne hated was being stared at. He quickly punched one of the soldiers in the gut, making them fall from his super strength. He then reached out his leg and hit another soldier. The remain two closed in when Manne jumped and did a mid-air split, knocking them both out.

"Manne" Nightwing yelled, he was on the edge of the wall, battling a knife wielding soldier. Manne tried to head towards him as more soldiers poured out of the building and towards him. Three helicopter's came out of nowhere and started to shoot up the fortress grounds. With the helicopters it was a massacre. Then one of the choppers blew up and crashed into the top of a skyscraper, falling all the way down it and setting it a light. Red, in her chopper, came flying by. She started firing bullets at the remaining two helicopters. She caught their attention and fired two missiles at them. They both dodged as the missiles hit the centre of another surrounding skyscraper. The top half off it started to collapse from the heat flowing through it. It soon collapsed and fell onto the main street, blocking the exit if needed. Men were grunting over each other, Manne noticed their wasn't many women. A few had joined them but he could not see them on the battlefield. As he started to charge through the crowds of soldiers, someone grabbed hold off his shoulder. He turned and clashed swords with two metal rods. Water splattered across both Manne's scarred face and Nightwing's smiling face.

"You idiot, I could have killed you!" Manne yelled. Two soldiers came up behind him and Nightwing twirled Manne around and hit them both directly in the face. They fell to the floor as Manne embraced him. "Don't do that again"

Nightwing patted Manne's hand when a giant explosion caught their attention. One of the tanks that attacked the Cathedral was rolling down a street, firing at the tower grounds. Each explosion killed people on both sides. "She's getting desperate now" Nightwing humoured himself.

"Nope, she's actually just pissed off" Manne said as he separated another soldiers head from their body. His sword was blood stained and his arms covered in splatter. He looked at the tank in disarray. "We need something big and strong"

"Your strong!" Nightwing shouted from a distance.

"No we need something to be distraction so it can hold up the front whilst someone gets inside it" Manne replied. Then with a thunderous roar something burst out of the fallen skyscraper and started to attack Harley Quinn's forces. It was huge, muscular and deadly. The green reptilian skin became shiny in the rain, the sharp yellow teeth stained red as they clamped down on a unsuspecting soldier. Killer Croc. Robin hopped out of the hole he made and joined the fight. Throwing a shuriken at a shooter in the building, making both body and weapon to fall to the floor.

"Glad you could join us" Nightwing said, taking out two more soldiers. Another ran up behind him but he jumped and kicked him into a wall. "Where were you?"

"Getting some extra muscle" Robin laughed as Killer Croc through another corpse through the air. Robin brought out his battle staff and started special techniques around soldiers confusing them and sending them to their defeat.

"Wayne" Manne used his real name to call him. The yellow eyes beamed through the rain.

"Whhhhaaaaattttt?" he hissed.

"We need you to distract the tank whilst someone get's inside it. It's too armoured to destroy it from the outside" Manne explained. Killer Croc roared and charged at the tank, the earth beneath him shook and became unstable. As soon as the tank saw him, they fired. He dodged and continued his rampage. Manne was about to follow but a couple of maddened hyenas ran out and killed two thugs. They turned around and set their targets on Manne. "Not these again"

Their paws skidded along the roared as they ran to Manne. Teeth bared and blood in their fur. Manne reached for his gun and shot one before it could jump. However the other was too fast and it jumped on Manne. He defended himself with his sword as the creature snapped it's jaws. Over and over again, thugs apart of the revolution ran by Manne. He tried to push the hyena off with his strength but he was still recovering from the knife incident so his strength was no match for the experimented hyena. He then grew furious at being on the floor and head-butted the animal. He whimpered in pain as Manne was cut on the side of his face after catching the hyena's tooth. As the creature whimpered, Manne shot it. He looked at the tank, it was being lifted up by Killer Croc. Robin was darting around the base and used Croc to jump up onto the armoured vehicle. He quickly got inside and exited the vehicle. He started tu yell something at Croc who threw the tank into the side of the still surrounding wall. It cracked but not much. Manne wondered why they hadn't destroyed it until it exploded, taken many men and the wall with it. Robin had placed a bomb in it before he exited.

The force-wave of the explosion caused both Manne and Nightwing to fall into each other. They helped each other as fire and metal rained against the side of Wayne Enterprises. Red came around again in her helicopter, this time being chased by the last of Harley's choppers. Bullets were fired into Red's craft which was already in bad shape. Red looked at the controls, with the rain and bullets the craft was not going to last long. As she saw the choppers state decline she quickly jumped out of the craft as it exploded into a building. The wreckage followed her to the ground and gave her entrance to the ground fight a dramatic flare. She brought out Talia's sword and started to kill nearby soldiers. But how many they killed, more just kept running out of Wayne Enterprises.

"We need to get to Harley!" She screamed as they grouped together. Nightwing, Robin, Red, Manne, Killer Croc, Two Face and the ecstatic Smokey had now formed a circle as a couple of dozen soldiers surrounded them. They charged outwards. Killer Croc immeditaly crushed two and bit another's head off. Three down, twenty one to go.

Two Face swaggered up to his enemies and used his last remaining two bullets. Two soldiers dropped down dead. He then used the empty guns to knock out two more. He smiled at Red, answering her question about limited ammo. Four down, seventeen to go.

Nightwing was up against a giant thug with one arm. He was holding a large blade that a executioner would use and his face sneered as the rain poured heavy on him. He stepped forward and brought down the blade to the ground. Nightwing just dodged it and kicked him in the chest. He didn't budge. His sneer became a evil smirk as he then returned the move, kicking Nightwing to the ground. The one armed thug brought up the blade and let it fall. Nightwing closed his eyes as thunder rang through the sky. A clang of metal was heard and Nightwing was still alive. He opened his eyes to see lightning flash and the huge blade was being held in mid-air by another sword. Manne stood in the rain, defending Nightwing. His green hair was in his eyes but he could still concentrate. Manne growled at the one armed thug and he used all his strength. He pushed up his blade to make the thug off-balance and that's when Manne punched him in the gut, sending him flying into the fortress wall. One giant down, sixteen to go.

Whilst Manne dealt with the big thug, Nightwing recovered and defended his back as two thugs with automatic rifles came up. He quickly disarmed them with his rods and managed to hit their knees, making them caffle to the ground. He then knelt down and punched them in the face, knocking them out and giving them broken noses. Two more down, fourteen to go.

Red and Robin decided to surprise their seven thugs. Robin ducked allowing Red to flip over his back and make two thugs fall to the floor. She then used Talia's sword to bring down the other two. Robin used his staff to disarm his three and knock them out. He then finished off the ones Red knocked down. However one of his three was not fully out and retaliated. Red quickly moved in and beheaded him. Robin was disgusted as his bleeding body fell to the floor. Red quickly apologized and blamed it on her assassin training. Seven down, seven to go.

Smokey took his down easily. Using his knives he took out two thugs up close, slitting their throats. He then chucked one at a gun wielding thug, killing him. He then ran to recover it, slitting another's throat on the way. A bold thug quickly retrieved the blade before Smokey. Annoyed with someone else touching his stuff, he grabbed the thug's head and brought it down onto the blade. He then used both blades to kill the remaining two.

Killer Croc left the group and took on a whole pack of maddened hyenas. Two Face grinned and picked up two automatic rifles and started to kill more soldiers.

"If we get Harley, then this all ends. TONIGHT!" Manne said as he started to lead Red, Robin, Nightwing and Smokey to the entrance. They all nodded, even though Smokey was new to them, he showed talent with knives. As they reached the door, taking out a few more soldiers on the way, Manne stopped immediately. Everyone turned around to face him.

"What's wrong?" Nightwing asked, pressing both hands to his face. He felt uncomfortable feeling the scars, they were freezing cold, unnaturally freezing cold. Then Nightwing observed his surroundings; from the main door to near enough where they were standing, the rain on the floor had frozen over. Robin looked inside the building, the bottom floor was totally covered in eyes. A beep was gradually growing louder. Nightwing pulled Robin away from the door as it shattered into tiny pieces of ice. Everyone backed up from the door to see the source of the noise.

Mr Freeze walked out of Wayne Enterprises, holding his ice weaponry and his suit was fully active and ready for battle. "It feels good to be out in the open"

"You lied to us Freeze!" Nightwing shouted as he picked up Robin. "You sent us to Arkham Asylum hoping that Scarecrow would kill us"

"Wrong" he said in a robotic voice. The vibrations was almost as chilling as he was. "I sent you to Arkham Asylum hoping that he would kill you"

Freeze pointed to Manne who looked shocked yet saddened. "A creature with all that power running through his veins in unstable. He should have killed you"

"Yeah, well, I didn't" Manne replied. Mr Freeze smiled, his glowing red goggles was trying to identify all of his weaknesses.

"No, but you will die here though. She has my wife, she is more important than you" Freeze sounded annoyed and activated his gun. A beam of blue light shot out the end and hit the ground where Manne was standing. He jumped away showing the multiple ice crystals forming from the rain water.

"Manne!" Nightwing shouted. He grew angry and charged at Freeze. His shoulder hit Freeze's stomach and they both went flying. They landed on the ground, Freeze couldn't get up properly and Nightwing had injured his shoulder.

"I've got to help him" Robin said as he faced both Red and Manne. Manne looked at Nightwing and nodded. Red quickly kissed Robin on the lips and headed towards Freeze. Red and Smokey ran into the building whilst Manne quickly looked at Nightwing. Nightwing looked at his toxic green eyes and the scar on his face. Manne mouthed the words '_Don't Die_'. After almost losing Manne, Nightwing took this as a declaration of his feelings. Manne smiled normally and entered the building.

Robin helped Nightwing up as Mr Freeze managed to stand up as well. He aimed his gun at Nightwing and Robin. "Goodbye prodigies of BATMAN!"


	41. BOSS: NIGHTWING & ROBIN vs MR FREEZE

Mr Freeze pulled the trigger again and the ray of blue light shot out. Robin pushed Nightwing to the side, his shoulder still hurting from charging Freeze. Thugs and Soldiers around them were temporarily distracted until they were either killed or continued their brawl. Robin recovered his staff and twirled it in his hands. Nightwing used the wall to stand up, it was only his left shoulder that was hurting.

"Give it up Freeze" Robin shouted.

"You don't know the pain I have had to go through. Just to keep us both alive" his robotic voice became frightening in the rain.

"We can save her Freeze, we can save your wife" Nightwing added in.

"Only Harley knows where she is, she won't tell you where it is" his educational voice was all true. Nightwing kept his battle rod ready for any oncoming soldier. Freeze raised his gun again and shot the beam of light at them. Since the beam was slow they manage to run away from it, however many people were caught in its beam and immeditaly froze.

"If you are really working for Harley" Robin asked. "Then why help us escape when she could have killed us easily"

Freeze stalled for a second, giving Nightwing time. He charged at the scientist and jumped. Still grabbing his shoulder, Nightwing hit Freeze's suit at the back of the head, causing it to glitch. It temporarily shocked him small volts of electricity. Robin saw this as another chance. Following Nightwing's moves he did the same. But Freeze caught his foot in mid-air and flung him to the ground.

"I am smart enough not to fall for the same trick twice" he laughed. Nightwing came up from the back, trying to distract him. But he twirled and caught him with the heavy gun. Nightwing to the ground, holding his gut. He started to crawl backwards as Freeze walked more into the battle-zone. "You have no chance against me this time, not without your precious Batman to help you"

Robin was recovering slowly but even he could see the anger building up in Nightwing's face. Robin looked up, he could see a helicopter flying round the building as if it was looking for someone. His mind immeditaly turned to Red, Manne and Smokey. Nightwing saw the helicopter out of the corner of hie eye, Freeze was right beneath it. The huge ice gun was being aimed at Nightwing, he could see the bright blue light preparing to fire. Freeze pulled the trigger and in a quick flash, Nightwing kicked the gun upwards. He had put all his weight onto his good arm and sent himself upward. The beam shot right into the sky, travelling through the helicopter as well. The entire craft started to freeze over, its metal becoming super cold and no doubt the technology would be acting up.

"I don't need Batman" Nightwing said as he single handedly took on Freeze. His remaining battle rod was beating against Freeze's weak points, Nightwing using his speed to advantage twirling round the armoured scientist but Freeze would then get a good hit and Nightwing, sending him to the ground. But he always got back up, his body would probably be decorated with black and purple bruises. Robin managed to stand up when a bright light caught his eye. The helicopter had flew into Wayne Enterprises and had now become a flaming ball of wreckage. Both the flaming craft and the pieces of wall and glass it took out were falling to the ground. Heading straight for Nightwing and Freeze. Robin noticed that they were to busy and had not noticed the fireball.

"Dick, look out!" He shouted, but none of them heard. The ball was about ten floors away from killing Nightwing, Freeze could probably survive due to his armour. Robin acted on instinct, not the instinct of being trained as a crime-fighter but the brotherly love for Nightwing drove him to surge. He quickly dashed over to the wrestling pair and grabbed hold off Nightwing. He was pulled backwards as Robin used his staff too confuse Freeze, making him disorientated.

"What the ..." Freeze's robotic voice was cut off as he saw the reflection of the fiery wreckage in his helmet. But it was too late, he looked up as the helicopter, rubble and glass landed on top off him. Robin and Nightwing were caught up in the secondary blasts and were sent to the floor. Dirt and rubble covering their bodies. They helped each other to stand up, Robin covering his gut with his hand and Nightwing holding his shoulder. They looked at the wreckage too see the faint outlines of Freeze's suit trapped. The man himself was unconscious and his armour was covered in flames, the armour however kept him alive. Even if he did wake up, his body would still be trapped underneath the wreckage.

"Thanks Tim" Nightwing said, the familiar smile on his face. They playfully punched each other on the chest and laughed. The battle between Two Face's thugs and Harley Quinn's forces were still continuing, no sign of an obvious winner.

"What now?" Robin asked. Nightwing looked up at his adoptive father's legacy. From where the helicopter hit the building, fire and rubble started to fall. It looked like a giant hole really.

"We need to find the others" Nightwing said as he ran into Wayne Enterprises, his mind thinking off Manne whilst Robin was thinking off Red.

_**(AN: I just have to say that we are almost coming to the end of this story. However I am planning on doing a sequel and possibly making it into a trilogy. Please could you comment to say if it is good or bad idea. Thank You for all those reading it, even if you have only come through half way. Cheers y'all. M)**_


	42. BOSS: SMOKEY vs HARLEY QUINN'S GUNMEN

Manne gazed at Nightwing just before he entered Wayne Enterprises. The small cocky smile made Manne feel depressed and emotional. The fact that the small swapping of smiles could be the last time he ever saw Nightwing again and that he remembered the scarring on his face. The gruesome smile.

The bottom floors of the high rising skyscraper was covered in ice, Mr Freeze's part of Harley's defence. Icicles hung off the lower levels and the bitter coldness was in the air. Manne could fill the small stings on his skin but the dropping temperature didn't bother him. Red and Smokey were already at the stairs and found themselves in trouble. They were completely frozen over and unable to walk up them.

"What do we do now?" Smokey asked looking at both Manne and Red. Manne looked upwards, he exhaled in frustration. Nothing was going to plan, they were two people short. He opened his eyes to see the solution, only three floors were frozen over. Manne remembered about Red's 'Snakebite' which was tied around her waist.

"We climb" Manne said as he looked to the whip. Red thought he was looking at something else but then realised she was wearing the whip. She untied and showed it to Smokey, he groaned to himself because he didn't spot it. Red then moved into the spot where manne was standing and started to twirl the whip. She let go and the end met with the railings of the fourth floor. She then started to tug on it, pulling herself upwards. As she climbed she gave Manne the handle and he tied it off securely on a cement block. As Red shuffled up to the third floor, Smokey hopped on and followed her. Smokey moved to the third when Manne matched their actions. As he hopped over the rail, Red realised she couldn't retrieve her whip since it was tied off at the bottom.

"We have to leave it" Red proclaimed, Manne and Smokey looked over the edge, realising she was right.

"We can get you a new one" Smokey replied as he pointed up to the top of the building. The trio moved round the floor to the elevators when they realised they weren't working. For the rest of the floors they would have to travel by stairs and casually swap at every tenth floor to another set of stairs. Red and Manne ran all the way whilst Smokey ran out of breathe on the fifteenth floor. It got so bad Manne picked him up and carried him. However they encounted another problem on the way. The seventeenth floor was lined up with riflemen and untrained thugs with guns. Red, Manne and Smokey, who was still in Manne's arms, kept hidden behind the wall. Manne looked to Red who looked around the floor. Ten men, easy to take them out.

"Ten off them" she said, answering Manne's glare.

"Easy" Smokey said, he leapt down from Manne's arms and placed his hands on his belt. Smokey then cockily swaggered into the room. Red looked at Manne with a 'what the f*ck is he doing?' face.

Manne replied, even with a scarred smile, with a 'I don't have a f*cking idea' and they both peaked round the corners. Smokey easily caught the attention of all ten men. They each raised their weapons and scowled at him. Smokey was giving off a wide grin, creeping out the guys. He then brought out two small dart knives from his belt and threw them. They twirled through the air as he ran forward, Red thought for a second he had super human speed. He flipped over the first line and kicked a riflemen in the face as the two darts landed in the heads of two newbie gun-wielders. Due to the many furniture, Smokey managed to hide as the remaining eight were gawking at the two corpses.

Red turned back to Manne. 'Do you think we should help?' she gazed with her brown eyes.

'Na'h, he'll be fine' his face replied back as Smokey ran out from behind a chair and sending one of his knives to kill another newbie. He punched the face of another man and gunfire decorated the roof as he fell. Smokey then tumbled and hid behind a desk, no one realised he was there.

'Seven left, nice going kid' Red silently thought to herself. Manne's head started shaking in detestation.

'Don't encourage him to get killed' Manne had changed his mind after gunfire was heard. Smokey then saw the two riflemen on the floor and took his chances, he ran out of the desk and headed towards the five remaining standing up. He then slid onto his knee's, slashing the necks off the two floored ones, making it five left. A newbie thug became so scared of Smokey's speed he pulled the trigger and lost control of the gun, killing all his team mates. Make that one remaining.

Red turned her head towards Manne who replied with a complementing smile. She tried not to look at the horrific smile on his face. The frightened newbie looked around him, the blood of his comrades all over his boots and across the floors. He almost started to cry as Smokey twirled out off his hiding space. He literally tried showing off the the skilled fighters hiding behind the walls. But his showing off became his downfall as he tripped over a corpse's arm and fell. The newbie looked down and aimed his gun, Smokey looking up at his end. The newbie pulled the trigger and the bullet shot out.

"Shit!" Smokey shouted as he felt the wind of the weapon being fired. He closed his eyes, waiting for the end, but it never came. He flickered his eyes open to find the newbie gasping for breathe as his throat was being held up by Manne. Smokey, in shock, started to look around for the bullet. He felt all over his chest to see if it was in him but he stopped as Manne brought it out off his hand. "You caught it!"

Manne grinned and held the bullet up in the light. A mark was in the middle of his hand from where he stopped the bullet. "One rule to remember, never show off"

Smokey nodded his head. Manne then realised he was still holding up the newbie and quickly moved his free arm. With speed and force, the bullet flew threw the newbies neck and he became lifeless. Manne dropped the corpse and smiled at Smokey, the edges of his scars made his face more deadly and frightening. "Plus if you wanted to show off, that is how you do it"

Red came wandering in, holding Talia's sword in her hands. She was shaking her in laughter. Manne helped Smokey up and walked to the staircase, next to Red. They both realised Smokey was not walking with them and turned their heads. Smokey had his back to them and his arms down, holding his recovered knives.

"C'mon Smokey, we need to get to Harley" Red said as both her's and Manne's hand tightened on their blades. Then Smokey started to tremble as something long and silver pierced through his chest. The now crimson stained blade retracted and Smokey fell backwards. His lifeless body looking upwards towards the shattered roof from earlier events. Manne's and Red's eyes followed the blade to the owner. Dante, wearing a white suit now, was standing with both a sense of pride and lust as he stared at his work. He didn't even care that his suit was covered with blood where Smokey had coughed up blood. Three more bodies came out of hiding to show their blades and similar lust for blood. Fernando, Angel and Tommy-Lee all glared and smiled at Red and Manne, all wearing white ninja outfits.

"Well, you have been a naughty girl" Dante teased. he turned his head to Manne when his face gloomed. "My God, you look more like him now"

The other three peered to the green haired boy and their faces became identical matches to Dante's.

"LIKE who?" Manne gritted his teeth, waiting for the name.

"You should know" Fernando sneered.

"Say it, I DARE you to" Manne now sounding like a animal ready for the kill. Red noticed this an brought back attention to herself.

"Let us go, Horsemen can't kill one of their own. No matter what" Red explained the rules again. The four became gloomy even more, they knew she was right.

"But I can" A female voice came from the shadows off the building. Everyone turned their heads to the source. A woman's body revealed itself from the shadows, its perfect shape and posture sent a feeling of seductiveness that could rival that of Manne's heightened seductiveness. The black tight pants and jacket gave more to the effect. Then there was the face; beauty of five women held into one glowing face. Her brown hair flowed as if it contained life itself. But one thing that looked out off place was the red oval shape and spikes piercing into her clothes and skin.

"You?" Red asked in a shock, Manne placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. The woman in black joined the four horsemen in white and smiled. Her mouth was begging to be filled with either the blood of her enemies or the lips of a lover.

"We don't have all day" The woman's eyes met Manne's face, she immeditaly drew back her confidence and seductive power. "What have they done to you?" She gasped.

"I don't know, maybe you could answer that." Manne said, moving away from Red and to the group. "Can you answer the question ... TALIA!"


	43. BOSS: MANNE vs THE HORSEMEN

Talia Al Ghul swerved her body around the four horsemen, her gloved hand teasing Dante's shoulder as walked by. Her eyes were harsh and looked like they could cut through walls as she stared at Red and Manne. Red was confused, she wanted to both hug and attack Talia. The Horsemen smiled at the new leader, a beautiful woman with skills and training to kill them all.

"I have no idea what happened to you, Manne" Talia said, the thick european accent was still their. "It's a shame though, you had such a handsome face"

Manne sneered at her words, Talia's gaze then turned to the emotionally hurt Red. "And you, someone who could have the world wrapped round her finger if she used her beauty"

"You know I never wanted to become like you" she said to her old friend. Talia had taken Red in and trained her in the arts of the assassin, only to go behind her back and train the Horsemen in the same way.

"Your emotions control you, let them go and you can do anything" Talia became the teacher again. Commenting on Red's ways, trying to make her the perfect assassin.

"Emotions are what make you human" Manne spoke up. Around the Horsemen he almost growled every word. "BITCH!"

Manne screamed as he pulled out his gun from his thigh and shot the roof. His bullet hit a pipe and hot air poured down onto the five assassins. "Run" He screamed to Red as they ran up to the next floor. Floor Eighteen.

"Stop them!" Talia screamed to her prodigies as she began to follow them. Red and Manne ran up the stairs and managed to make it to the top when Manne turned and saw the glowing red machine on Talia. He quickly shut the door and pulled a table in front of it. Red was already at the other set of stairs and when Manne joined her, the door and table exploded. Talia came running out off the flames, her face as furious as a Lioness protecting her young. As she came closer to the two teenagers, Manne lifted his leg and kicked Talia in the chest. She recovered quickly and placed her hand on the impact zone of Manne's boot. Her left breast.

"Aah, you kicked me in the breast!" She whined, her vocabulary also showed how old she really is.

"Bitch, I'm gay, I don't care about them!" Manne laughed and both he and Red ran up the remaining floors. They made their way to floor twenty when they realised they had to cross the entire floor to get to the other stairs. Talia and the Horsemen were hot on their heels.

"We'll never get to the other side in time" Red realised.

"Then use the window" Manne said, pushing the black haired girl to the nearest window. He brought out two blades from his belt and handed them to Red. "Use them too get to the next floor, I'll hold off these lot"

Red looked confused at Manne but when he pushed her again she finally gave in. She used one of the blades to smash the window and she gradually climbed out of the building and stuck herself onto the side. Wind howled through the floor as explosions from all around could be heard. Manne raised his arm to stop wind from going in his eyes. Red didn't have an option, she was using all her strength in her arms to stay on the building.

Manne turned to face the stairway as Talia and the four assassin's came out of the entrance. Talia smiled, the four then started moving, spreading themselves out.

"Where's Red?" Talia asked.

"UP!" was Manne's only reply. Talia became angered at this and flipped out badly. She charged at Manne, with no weapon on her. As she came closer, Manne tried to kick her again. However she grabbed his foot and twirled, throwing him across the floor. Manne recovered and stood up realising he was near a glass bridge, connecting tow separate parts of the floor. It looked fairly new and seemed to be the only one as the huge hole going through the entire tower was vacant off any other bridges.

"Make sure he doesn't follow me" Talia ordered, grabbing two blades from her side. Manne noticed that they were Smokey's silver daggers and that she had claimed them for herself. She was soon out of site as she followed Red's movements.

Manne stared at the four men in front off him. Dante in his blood stained white suit, Fernando with the scar Harley had given him, Tommy-Lee with curly blonde hair and then there was Angel with a strict look on his face. All of them took their swords out of their scabbards and held them in different stances. Angel held his directly in front of him whilst crouching a bit. Tommy-Lee held his sideways, making a line across his face and too intensify the stare of the eyes. Fernando pointed his sword to the ground, his feet ready to run and pounce. Dante held his with one hand above him, his other hand pointing at Manne.

"Oh this is going to be bad" Manne whispered to himself as he uncovered his sword. The flat metal gleamed in the orange light off the fires below. That was when he realised the whole wall on his left hand side was made of glass. The four gasped as they saw the sword.

"Where did you get that?" Fernando demanded, noticing it to be Apollo's Sword.

"Found it!" Manne snapped. He was in no mood to give him the fine details.

Then they all charged at Manne. Manne charged at them. Fernando was the first one to meet swords with Manne's. He was the fastest of the lot and (in Manne's mind) the better looking. Fernando tried to side swipe Manne but it didn't work because he jumped. Manne quickly retaliated and tripped up Fernando. Manne was about to push his sword into Fernando's tanned body when someone blocked him. Angel was standing by his side, glaring at him. He pushed up and both he and Manne started aiming for hits at each other. Tommy-Lee joined in the fight, Dante strolling, looking for a place to attack. Manne kicked Angel's leg and started attacking Tommy. Although weak in mind, Tommy was the most skilled with a blade. Tommy's blade skimmed over Manne's and was about to cut off the green haired boy's head. If only he hadn't bent backward and did a small back-flip, kicking Tommy in the chin. Dante saw this as a chance and took it. He jumped in the air and brought down the sword, it clashed with Manne's. He then punched Manne in the gut, making him stagger, but he recovered and continued the fight. Realising that Manne was strong, they all pulled together and attacked as a team. In a diamond shape they all thrusted their swords in wards, making a metal cross shape. Manne fell to the floor and did a split, a move his Mother had taught him to never forget. Smiling at his skills, Manne brought his blade up and disorientated all the Horsemen. Whilst in the air, Manne took his chance and brought it down. It hit the ground with a heart-stopping thud. The edge was lined with a crimson liquid, blood.

"Aah" the assassin gasped as Manne looked up. The others became normal again as they looked at their comrade. Tommy-Lee stood in front of Manne, his sword dropped from his weak grasp. Then his body started to split in two, straight down the middle where Manne had cut him. Manne was thinking at the time about how Red was right about the sword being able to cut through mostly anything and then he thought of the disgusting scene he had made. The young boyish face off Tommy-Lee split in two and a single tear formed from his eye. "Mama" he gasped as both sides fell to the floor.

"My God!" Angel cried out. He looked at Tommy-Lee then to then to Manne, his eyes filled with disgust and hatred. Manne responded with hatred, only hatred. Angel furiously attacked. Manne dodged the blade and ran, knocking down Dante and Fernando in the process. He headed across the glass bridge, looking back to see Angel still following him. Angel's sword was in swinging distance and it lunged. Manne quickly turned and defended himself, pushing Angel's blade away and making it scrape across the bridge. Manne looked to see it slightly crack but not much. He managed to run across the bridge and to the end of the floor which was another glass window. Manne couldn't believe how the entire outside of Wayne Enterprises was made out of glass and metal. He stopped and saw part of the destruction outside, he also saw Killer Croc and Two Face take out another tank. Manne could sense Angel running up behind him. Manne jumped and somersaulted in the air. Landing behind the charging Angel.

"Angel think before you act!" Dante shouted, running across the bridge.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed. He was about to charge when something distracted him. A noise was building up and too Manne it sounded a lot like propellers. Then it came into view, the last remaining chopper was beaming it's lights into the building. Manne's and Angel's shadows were stretched across the floor. Both of them could see the gleaming smile off the pilot as he flicked a switch. The guns started to twirl.

"Angel move!" Fernando shouted, started to run back across the bridge. Manne was the only one to move. The bullets poured out of the machine guns and into the building. Blood and skin splattered everywhere as Angel became the main target off the helicopter's rage. Some bullets cascaded and flew after Manne, who skidded across the floor and onto the bridge. The chopper kept firing and was destroying most of the floor. The remaining three people didn't know what to do. Until a blue beam off light came up from the ground and the air craft started to shake as it started to grow ice. The man became confused and didn't know what was happening until he started to hover nearer the building.

"You Bastard!" Dante said. He and Fernando were standing at the edge of the bridge. Dante started to run across it ready for the sword battle. Steel met steel as Manne and Dante attacked each other. Fernando tried to get around the pair but the swords were flying violently around. Manne received quick reflections of the helicopter behind him. It was still flying into the building. Five seconds and it would explode. Five, Manne knocked back Dante. Four, Dante charged only to be grabbed by Manne. Three, Manne used his strength and threw Dante into the direction of the chopper. Two, Manne grabbed one off his machete's in his boots and threw it after Dante. It met skin and glass as Dante was pierced against the window. One, Dante could hear the noise of the chopper and he stopped struggling. His charming smile came back on as his end was near. Zero, the chopper crashed into the building and combusted, consuming Dante and sending his scorched body to the other side of the room.

Fernando was the only one left, the scar across his eye gave him more a warrior look. "Give it up Fernando" Manne said, gasping for air. "Your on your own, just leave and let me go to my Mother"

"I can't do that Manne" he scowled.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm under oath, fight till the death"

"The oath means nothing now. The very heart of Harley's empire is falling and where is she, hiding in a tower." Manne was growing tired. His body started to ache, using his powers constantly had a price. Fernando saw this and took it as advantage. Fernando swung his sword over his head and brought it down. Manne reacted by pulling up his sword. But with his arms being weak he pulled them down. Seeing that he could not win in a sword fight, he did the only thing that came to mind.

He jumped up and pulled on Fernando's collar, bringing his head down. Their lips met. The thought running through Manne's head, ten seconds and he'd be dead. Fernando couldn't move as soon as his lips met Manne's, he had the desire to deepen it, he felt like he wanted him forever. At the fifth second, Fernando deepened the kiss, his tongue entered Manne's mouth and together they rubbed against each other. Then, as the tenth second hit, green tears started to pour from Fernando's eyes and he desperately started gasping for breathe. Manne looked up to see they were the same colour as his eyes, toxic green, proving to Manne that the toxins in his veins do change people. Their lips parted and Fernando staggered backwards, hitting the rail and falling over. Manne looked over the edge, ashamed, at what he had done.

Manne weakly walked to the staircase and started to climb. But his body gave way and he black out at the bottom of the stairs.


	44. BOSS: RED vs TALIA AL GHUL

Red did what Manne told her to do. She broke the window in front off her and immediately a torrent of wind blasted in to her face. She embedded the knives into the window above her. It cracked and a load of glass fell on her. Knowing she couldn't stop, Red pulled herself up and gripped the metal bar off the window frame. She was ready to tug herself in when she saw a flowing carpet of brown hair come out off the window below. She peeked down to see Talia sneer up at her. Red pushed herself upwards and she rolled onto the floor above.

It was very similar to every floor with the white walls, glass railings and the hole running straight through the middle of the tower. She fast walked across the floor and reached the edge off the hole, noticing a long line off glass going across the hole. She could hear Manne fighting the Horsemen she used to call friends, she wanted Manne to come out alive.

"I know your there Talia" Red said, feeling the back off her neck cringe. "Why hesitate, you could have killed me five seconds ago"

Red turned around to face her old friend. The beautiful Talia Al Ghul was standing, mesmerized by the glittering sword in her hands. Red looked down, hers was gone.

"It's a worthy sword, is it not" Talia said, gripping her hands on the handle. Red could not disagree, the sword suited her better. It looked like it fit perfectly in her hands.

"It is good" Red admitted. Talia turned her head, Red could see for a moment her friend, the woman who gave up her freedom for her to escape.

"Have you used it to kill anyone?" she returned to her sneering. Red took a deep breathe.

"No"

"Why not?"

"It never came to me to use it" Red thought about her words again. "I mean, the situation never arouse"

"You've infiltrated this building before, you've successfully burnt down Base Arkhum and you have travelled out off the city and came face to face with your old friends. Please explain more how the situation never arouse"

"I didn't want to use it, I had too much respect for you" Red admitted.

"Respect is not something you give to your enemies" Talia said, darkness passing over her face as the lights above started to flicker.

"You weren't my enemy" Red growled. "But you are now!"

She brought out her pistol from her holster. The overalls bagged up a bit as weight was taken away from them. Talia became furious at Red's warning. The blade of the sword rose up and matched the side of her face. Talia blew away Red's warning and she pulled the trigger. Bullet after bullet flew at the assassin. But as close did one bullet come to hitting it, the blade cut it off. Red still kept firing and Talia started running, swinging her blade in intricate movements and cutting each bullet in half. Red counted the bullets and knew how much ammo was left. Talia was only a couple of footsteps away when Red stopped firing. The assassin raised her sword, attempting to kill Red. But in retaliation and speed, Red hit Talia's face with the handle of her pistol. Talia dropped to the floor, blood oozing from her mouth.

"You've exceeded my expectations little hood" Talia painfully said.

Red's face tightened up. "My name is RED, not giddy girl, not little hood. RED!"

In anger, Red kicked Talia in the gut, sending her rolling across the floor. Talia recovered quickly and charged at Red. The assassin ran at such speed that Red only managed to grab Manne's small grapple blades from her belt. Sparks flew as blades met each other at such force. The two females sliced and defended as they gradually moved across the floor. Sometimes Talia took advantage of Red's position and used it against her, Red did the same to Talia. The woman were both equally matched, there was no obvious winner.

"Talia, give up. No one will win" Red shouted, noticing they were now on the other side on the floor. She could just get glimpses of Manne fighting on the glass bridge below her. Talia didn't care, the red oval on her chest forced her to attack. She skidded forwards, pushing the sword forwards ready for the attack. But something unexpected happened, an explosion came from the floor below and the wave sent the two assassins flying. Flame and glass spurted all over the floor. A huge hole greeted the assassins as they recovered and continued their fight.

"Why won't you die!" Talia screamed. She used the railings to her advantage and jumped off them. She flew into the air and raised her sword, ready for the killing blow. Red stood up proud as if she knew what was about to come. Talia was only inches away when Red brought out her pistol again and pulled the trigger. Talia's face changed as the bullet flew towards her. Red had faked being out of bullets so that she could surprise her mentor. The bullet zoomed towards the assassin and hit her. Sending her backwards and too the floor. Talia laid still on the ground, the flames and glass around her looked like a horrible spot to die. Red walked closer to the still body and flipped her over. The bullet fell to the ground, out off the oval machine on her chest. Red smiled as she moved Talia's sword away from her.

"Talia, wake up" Red slapped her cheeks a couple of times. Talia's eyes fluttered open and gazed up at her friend.

"Red, I thought you left in the helicopter" she said with no sneer or growl. Her european accent had returned fully.

"That was almost a week ago"

"What happened?"

"Your in the middle of a warzone, Harley Quinn had you under her control with this" Red pointed to the broken machine on Talia's chest. She removed it to show six holes in Talia's jacket and flesh.

"Warzone?" Talia looked confused.

"I have a lot to explain"


	45. Following the Trail

Nightwing and Robin found the bloody scene. Bodies were scattered across the white floor, one of them being Smokey. His face in shock horror as something long and flat pierced his body. Nightwing could tell by the rip in his clothing. Robin was looking over the rest of the bodies, he came to the conclusion that Smokey had killed them before he died.

"Well, Manne and Red aren't here" Robin said. Nightwing felt a little relief.

"Smokey must have ran into the Horsemen, or something worse" Nightwing said, gazing at the knife-wielder's wound.

"They must be upstairs" Robin said, running for the stairs. However Nightwing grabbed him by thee shoulders and turned him around. Robin was facing Nightwing as he looked carefully at the teenager.

"Robin, slow down" Nightwing began. "You might see something you don't want to see"

"I have prepared myself already, Dick. Don't worry, you need to be concerned about Manne and yourself" Robin smiled and ran out of Nightwing's hands. Nightwing looked sad at the ground, his reflection blurry in the pool of blood. Nightwing ran after Robin, looking round corners for anymore enemies. They were three floors up when they saw trails of blood pouring down the staircase. Nightwing looked worried at Robin who returned the look. They crept up the stairs, taking each step as carefully as they could. Their eyesight skimmed the surface of the floor to see the source of the blood. A blonde curly haired man was lying on the floor, his head turned away as his arm stretched out for his fallen sword.

"I think that's Tommy-Lee" Robin said. Red had given him the descriptions of the Horsemen so that he wouldn't mistake them as prisoners. They walked up the rest of the stairs and onto the floor. To their horror, they found that Tommy-Lee had been cut in two from the head down. Both sides off the face were as horrified as they were. Nightwing looked around the floor to see a corpse at the other end of the floor. In a rush, Nightwing ran across the glass bridge and examined the corpse. From the clothes, he recognised that it wasn't Manne or Red.

"Tim!" Nightwing shouted.

"What?" Robin replied, trying to look down on the battle below.

"Was there a Horsemen that wore a suit?"

"Yeah" Robin said turning around. "Red said he was called Dante, nasty fellow he was"

"Well he's dead" Nightwing revealed, he also looked around the ground to see bits of cloth and flesh.

"That must have been where the Helicopter crashed into building" Robin pointed out. Nightwing noticed the flames and broken glass around him. He followed the amounts of flesh to a pile of gory blood and mangled flesh and bone.

"Another dead, Horsemen" Nightwing said, he could tell it wasn't a woman and the remains of hair was black so it wasn't Manne or Red.

"DICK!" Robin cried out. Nightwing shot up and found Robin by the stairway up to the next floor.

Robin was staring at the body in front of him. He knelt down and shook the green haired boy. "Manne, wake up!"

Manne's face turned round from lying on the steps. It was pale, cold and almost resembled a skull. The 'smile' seemed to have become wider from the weak Manne. Manne fell into Robin's arms and he reacted immediately. His eyelids fluttered to show the toxic green eyes but not much, he could tell it was Robin who was holding him.

"Dick" he whispered.

"He's on his way" Robin replied, looking to Nightwing who was walking across the bridge.

"Did ... did he see ... Fernando?"

Robin flicked through his mind, Fernando was tall, good looking and had a scar on his left eye. "No, there is a mess of a Horsemen by the window"

"Angel"

"We haven't seen Fernando"

"Good" Manne whispered as he tried to move his arm to his sword, which was by his side on the floor.

"MANNE!" Nightwing yelped as he saw who Robin was holding. He shoved Robin out of the way and took over. Manne fell against his chest and he tried to smile. "What happened to you?"

"Everything comes with a price" Manne weakly whispered, it almost sounded like he was gasping for breath. "My powers use up my energy, fighting four skilled assassins was hard"

"Well, your safe now"

"You have to leave me"

"THE HELL WE ARE!" Nightwing never usually uses words like Hell or God, he won't say what he doesn't believe in.

"You need to stop my Mother" Manne replied, a tinge of anger in his voice.

"We aren't leaving you here" Nightwing yelled. He then placed his hands underneath Manne and lifted him up. He was quite light due to the weak phase he was going through. "Robin, you lead"

"Don't" Manne tried to speak up but he was ignored. They continued to walk up the stairs, floor by floor. They didn't see Red anyway, Robin fearing the worse sped up. They then came to the second to last floor. Harley Quinn was on the floor above them, they were sure. Robin looked back at Nightwing and Manne, Robin thought how Manne was right. Nightwing carrying him was slowing him down. "She's there, I can hear her"

"I won't be able to fight her on my own" Robin said as he retrieved his staff from his belt and extended it.

"Richard, put me down" Manne ordered

"NO!" Nightwing argued.

"DO IT!" Manne opened his eyes full, anyone could see that he wouldn't lose this argument.

"FINE!" Nightwing replied, lowering his arms so Manne could find the floor. He managed to stand up on his own, with the help off his sword. He seemed to regain some colour as the extent of his powers faded. "I will be back to normal in five minutes, we don't have that time"

"WHY?" Robin asked as something caught their attention outside. A huge explosion had cause one of the skyscrapers to fall onto most off the battleground killing many on both sides. Two Face was caught in the struggle as he and Killer Croc focused on both Tanks and heavy groups of soldiers. Slowly they were being over-run.

"Go on up, I'll follow" Manne said, looking at both Nightwing and Robin. Robin nodded and headed for the stairs whilst Nightwing shook his head. Manne walked up to him and placed his shaking hand against his chest.

"I will not survive if I cannot fight" Manne said, Nightwing knew this. "You don't have to fight her till I join, distract her, get her talking"

"What if we do fight?"

"I'll tell you this, you can fight till I get there like you used to as Batman's prodigee" Manne hit a very touchy nerve. "But with me she'll be distracted. She won't be as tricky"

"So we can beat her"

"Everyone is beatable" Manne laughed as he hugged his side. He felt sharp pains all the way through his body.

"Nightwing C'mon. Red might be up there" Robin said as he pointed upwards.

"Be careful, last I knew, Talia was about to kill her"

Robin did not look pleased. "TALIA!"

"Mind control, like Dick" He pointed to Nightwing who only shrugged. Robin looked impatient as Nightwing turned back to Manne.

"You have no idea how much I want to kiss you"

Manne stared blankly. "Same"

"See you up there" Nightwing laughed leaving Manne down on the floor below.

As soon as Manne was alone, he immeditaly felt depressed and realised what he was doing was bad.

"What am I doing?" Manne said to himself, he knew not to mess with his powers like he has been doing.


	46. BOSS: HARLEY QUINN

She stood there, in front of the window. Gazing at her city, then she laid eyes on the flames below. Her empire was burning, she smiled cruelly at her work. Her plan was working perfectly, in a way. Footsteps came quickly behind her, she could guess who it was. She turned around with the cruel smile still on her face. Lightning potrayed her dark centre across the floor in the form off her shadow. Her female body looked tall and strong as a shadow. Rain drops also potrayed their shadows which gave off a broken effect on the ground.

Nightwing and Robin stared at their enemy. She was smiling at them, as if she knew they were coming. Wearing what she did beofre, a red corset over a black blouse, handless gloves started at her wrist and ended after her elbows, half black and red pants with the familiar three diamond arrow on the thighs, knee high boots (one was red and the other was black), a belt was around her waist holding up her pants, two holsters were against her thighs holding two chunky guns (similar to the one she use to kill Batman with) and her hair was back to its original blonde ponytails with one of ponytails bottom being red and the other black.

"Give it up Harley" Nightwing said.

"Or what?" Harley Quinn's high pitched voice replied. She walked closer to the two boys, her strut full of a deadly presence.

"We'll make you" Robin joined in. He charged at her and her smile only grew. Robin came close to her and struck his staff towards her. She backflipped, kicking the staff into Robin's face. She landed on her feet with great poise and elegance of a ballet dancer. Robin staggered back as he drew his hand to his face.

"I won't be taken that easily, Bird Brain!" she laughed. Her hair bounced as if she was a young child on a playground.

"Where are the people?" Nightwing asked, bringing out both battle rods as if she was going to attack.

"What people?" Harley cocked her head to the side. Pretending not to know anything.

"The people you kidnapped, those who escaped two years ago."

"Oh them, I have them locked up" she popped the p.

"Where?" Robin asked, curious about Alfred and Barbara. He stood next to Nightwing and started to twirl the silver staff, trying to distract Harley.

"Underneath, The League of Assassins showed me the way to the Wonder City" She started to slowly walk towards the boys. "I built holding cells there, ready for pahse one of my plan"

"Which is?"

"Revenge!" she snapped. "This City is the reason it ended up like it is"

"How is the City to blame?" Robin asked, his face full of confusion.

"When Batman came along, The City stood behind him. Giving him the power to do what ever he can to stop my kind." She brought her hands into fists, were shaking with anger. "Gotham made Batman, Batman killed by puddin'"

"Joker was a mess. He was insane"

"He was perfect. Mr J. would be so proud of me if he saw Gotham now" She lent back on the nearest desk and posed a dramatic position. Her legs dangling as her right hand bent to her face where she sighed. "This is his Legacy!"

"This is madness!" Nightwing yelled. Harley changed her face to serious hatred. "This City is an abomination of what it used to be"

"HA, you haven't even heard phase two." Harley joked as she stood on the desk. Nightwing and Robin looked at each other and attacked. Togther they jumped on the desk on for Harley to swap to a handstand and flcik her legs towards to two heros. It looked like she was doing a upside down split. They landed on the ground with a thud. Harley jumped down and grabbed Nightwing by the jacket and flung him across the desk and into Robin. They became a piled up mess. They shortly recovered and managed to stand up, bruises forming on their stomachs. "Gotham shall be burnt to nothing more than dust. With a new leader to move on to other cities"

"Was that Joker's intentions, to take over the world" Nightwing gasped.

"All he wanted to do was to make everyone smile, or laugh till their DIE!" Harley laughed. She was as mad as he was.

"Why destroy Gotham?" Robin asked.

"Gotham City will not go unpunished for Mr. J's death. They will feel the writhing ain and burn my heart felt as they are set alight!" She became furious at the memory off her heartache. So furious, she hurried to a metal cabinet and opened it to show a giant hammer. It was red and black and the huge circular ends had the signature symbol of Harley Quinn on. The arrow made out of diamonds. She pulled it out the cabinet and started swinging it deadly around the room. Nightwing and Robin were shock to see how strong Harley had become. The weight of the hammer didn't even bother Harley,, instead she ran onto the desk and jumped. The hammed was in both of her hands as she brought it down. It hit the floor, cracking it, Nightwing and RObin only managed to dodge it. They saw this as a chance and took it. Harley swung the hammer to the right, knocking Nightwing to the floor. She then kicked her foot into Robin's chest, sending him backwards.

"STOP THIS!" A female voice shouted. Everyone looked to see the woman in black walking next to Red. Talia was frowning at Harley Quinn as the crime queen noticed she was out of her control device.

"Talia, looks like you got out of your collar then" Harley scowled in a clown way.

"This is a new low, even for you" Talia growled.

"Ah, so you heard about my plan!" Harley sarcastically said.

"You will not use my bretheren in your diabolical scheme, Quinn!" Talia growled again. "Yes, when you came along I offered myself to train eigtht of you soldiers and age your son. But that was it, you mis-used that gift and tried to take more"

Harley Quinn only smiled. "You would not accept my plan, so I forced you"

"Look at where it has got you" Talia extended her hand to the window. The battle below was raging more fierce now. "You are stuck at the top of a tower, trapped by your enemies. Just give up!"

"If you want to stop me, MAKE ME!" Harley screeched. Talia reched for her sword and ran at Harley. Red, nightwing and Robin all did the same from all sides. Talia reached Harley first, slashing her sword. Harley defended by using the pole of the hammer, she pushed up and Talia was wide open. Harley spun around and managed to catch Talia with the hammer. She went flying into a bunch of desks and chairs. Red and Robin caught Quinn at the same time, they attacked. Harley fell to the floor, she bent her knees so that her back was on the bottom half of her legs. The Hammer still in her grasp, she used it to swing her body into the air, feet first. She jumped over the two and landed on Nightwing's shoulders. He was in shock as Harley dropped her body, flipping him across the room. Robin looked at Harley and noticed that she had grown stronger since the last time they met. She smirked as she charged at the remaining two. Harley's hammer was right by Robin who decided that he should stop her from getting it. With his staff he jumped in front off Harley and tripped her up. Harley grumbled and took out Robin's legs with her feet. He was on the ground when Harley jumped up showing a black handled knife, ready for the kill.

"NO!" Red screamed as she barged at Harley, taking them both to the floor. Robin recovered and tried to help Red. Red was slashing furiously at Harley, who was dodging them by doing acrobatic tricks. Harley then started cartwheeling towards Red who was so distracted with anger, she didn't realise Harley was heading for her. Harley's boots met Red's face as she crumbled to the floor. Harley then ran to her hammer, not even stopping for air. She took it from the ground and threw it at Robin. Robin tried to dodge but it was just to big and fast that it caught him and trapped him against the floor.

"How are you that strong?" Robin gasped, looking at his friends across the floor.

Harley smiled as she strutted towards him. "When Mr. J used the Steel Mill as his base in Arkhum City, he mixed up loads of chemicals. The ones he didn't use, he chucked into a vat. During the last days of the city, I fell in due to an explosion and came out being stronger than ever!"

"Your twisted Harley!" Robin gasped for breathe.

"No, I'm fun!" she laughed. "Now it's time to end this city, once and for all!"

"MOTHER!"

"Manne?" Harley gasped as a desk smacked into her. It smashed on impact and both Harley and the shrads rolled across the floor. It didn't knock her out but the shock slowed her down for a couple of minutes. Manne came running across to Robin and removed the hammer off his chest. Manne did the same as Harley, the hammer wasn't heavy for him.

"You okay Tim" he asked, helping Robin up. Robin nodded and moved slowly, fastening his hand onto his chest where the hammer had impacted him. Manne looked around to see the others on the floor. He crouched down next to Red and placed his hand in his pocket. Robin noticed he brought out a similar looking case of vials to the ones Nightwing had in Arkham Asylum. Manne popped the top of a vile and slowly tipped a few drops into her open mouth. He signalled Robin to come over as he tended Nightwing and Talia, with a unsured look at Robin.

"What's in them?" Robin asked as Red started to shiver.

"You know that green stuff you had in the Asylum"

"Yeah"

"This is a better version of that" He turned to face Robin. "It's the same formula but I placed a few drops of my blood in each of them"

"Did you give Nightwing them viles in Arkham Asylum"

"Yeah" Manne looked confused or worried. "Didn't he tell you?"

"No" Red started to flutter her eyes as the formula took effect and started to wake her up. Harley Quinn was trying to move but the shock off being hit with a desk made her body froze up. "Manne, did anything happen between you and Nightwing whilst me and Red weren't there?"

Manne didn't respond straight away. "Many things, Tim. Heart-braking at first but then I got used to the pain"

"What pain?"

"Love"

"OW!" Red shouted as she bolted upright, almost head-butting Robin. She looked at her body and her surroundings, the memory off fighting Harley was coming back to her. "Oops, sorry Tim"

"It's OK" Robin said, but his eyes couldn't help drift to Harley Quinn who was still not moving.

"Is Manne OK?" she asked as her eyes fell on him.

"I think they're bonding" Robin joked, manne twitched his head. He could hear what they were saying. Red frowned at Robin who only hid his face in shame. Nightwing then jolted to life as he tried gasping for air. He quickly found his rods and placed them back on his belt.

"God that was fast" He mentioned religion again. Talia then opened her eyes, she didn't react like the others but she still gasped for air as she stood up. All five of them regrouped and surrounded the rising Harley Quinn.

Her eyes darted around the room but then came to a sudden stop. The tall green haired boy was looking directly at her, with such emotion that she couldn't understand. His eyes were now a toxic green, different form the warm hazel he had only a week ago. Harley then focused on the rest of his face, the pink scars he had for a smile made her shiver. She could easily see the cut lines and she was both horrified and happy. Her son, with similar looks to his Father.

"Manne" She gasped as stood fully up. "You look ..."

"Don't say it" Manne and Nightwing said together.

"... like your Father" Harley nervously laughed the last part. Manne's face turned into a sympathetic look, no mater how much he tried, his Mother was the first thing he loved.

"I am nothing like him though" Manne's words tore through Harley Quinn like a knife. Nightwing turned his head and in a matter of seconds he saw Manne's appearance change between Harley and Joker. He was identically split in their looks.

"Who gave you that?" She ordered, pointing at the scar.

Manne looked to Red, the person who killed the man. "A goon, sent to kill Manne"

"Scarecrow sent him, I think" Manne put in. Harley Quinn's face grew in anger.

"Manne, what are you doing with these lot?" Harley came out of her Mother mode, realising he was on the opposite team. Manne lowered his head.

"You had to be stopped!" Manne said.

"You would go up against your own Mother" Harley Quinn sneered. "THe person who loved you, cared for you and even promised you WONDERLAND!"

"WONDERLAND IS THE MURDER OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!" Manne snapped. Harley was taken back from his anger. Manne breathed in and turned to Red and Talia. "There should be a secret elevator at the end of the floor, try and open it please"

"Sure" Talia said as she dragged Red. Nightwing came closer to Manne, placing his hand on his shoulder. Nightwing looked at Manne and kept his stare.

"You think you love him" Harley interupted, making Nightwing stare at her.

"What?" Nightwing asked. Manne looked at her with both betrayal and hatred.

"You believe you can't be without him" Harley continued. "You believe that his poisonous kiss will satisfy your thirst for him"

"How do you know?" Nightwing moved in front of Manne. Manne tried dragging him back but Nightwing let his hand slip.

"Because" she laughed. "Oh, this is too funny"

"TELL ME!"

"Don't" Manne pleaded.

"TELL ME NOW QUINN!"

"Because I created him that way" Harley smirked. Nightwing froze on the spot. "Poison Ivy's chloroform didn't just give him poisonous lips, oh no. It also gave him the ability to lure anyone to him, pharamoans he released would make someone feel attracted to him so that he could toy with them as he wishes"

Nightwing turned around to Manne. "Is this true?"

Manne squirmed on the spot. "I ..."

"IS IT TRUE!" Nightwing shouted.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, whilst your at it, Son of mine. Tell him about guards that you lured, making them believe they were in love with you"

"Nightwing, don't listen to her" Manne pleaded again, moving to him. Nightwing pushed him away. Robin, Talia and Red were all looking at the pair now as Harley started to walk around them.

"You tricked me"

"No, I didn't mean it" Manne was on the verge of tears. "When we first met, I kissed you to save your life. I needed you to help me escape Scarecrow, I didn't expect the kiss to alter your mind"

"He was never truly in love with you" Harley Quinn added in.

"Were you?"

"I wasn't at the start but then you kissed me by yourself. No one had ever done that"

"Was that my own feelings, or was that the pharamoans?" Nightwing was about to flip. Robin was edging closer to him, just in case he attacked.

"I ... I ... Don't know"

"In that case then" Nightwing moved closer to Manne. "I have one thing to say. When you said that Batman needed to protect Gotham, you were right. But it wasn't just to stop people like Harley, oh no, it was also to stop people like you. Who manipulate people for their own selfish reasons. From this moment on, you are my enemy, Manne Quinn. After this day, I will hunt you down like the villain you are!"

Nightwing walked away as Manne lowered his head.

"Well that was fun!" Harley laughed. "But I know how to make it ..."

Harley then placed her hand at her thigh and brought her 'Bat-killer' and aimed it at Talia. Harley knew that Talia's death would make the League of Assassins go into disarray and remove a threat against her. "A BLAST!"

The bullet flew out of the gun as Nightwing knocked the gun out of her hand. Robin tried to deflect the bullet with his staff but he was too slow. The bullet zoomed past him and straight towards Talia. But it never reached her as Red jumped in front of her friend and mentor. The bullet pierced her chest, next to her heart. Robin could see it in slow motion as he tried to react to the situation. Red's eyes went blank as she breathed her last breathe, she was already dead. Her body went crashing into Talia and they both fell through one of the outer windows.

"NOOOOO!" Robin screamed as he ran to the window. Harley Quinn kicked Nightwing and ran away from the non-moving Manne. She found her stash off weapons in the metal cabinet and brought out a small belt of grenades. She pulled out each off the pegs and threw the belt. With her new strength she managed to get it to the hole in the glass, a few feet away from Robin when it exploded. Robin was sent backwards by the forcewave and hit the ground. The glass around the explosion shattered and the wave also smashed every easily breakable object in its path. Harley, Nightwing and Manne also hit the ground.

Harley recovered quickly and headed for her hammer. She was about to pick it up when a hand also grabbed the handle. She looked up, her blonde hair now frizzed up that it covered her eyes. But she could still recognise the hatred in the eyes of her son.

"Get off Manne!"

"MAKE ME!" He sneered, his voice replicating the power and sarcasm that inherited hers. She pushed up the handle and knocked him forward. She then jumped up into the air and swung the hammer over her head. Manne moved and with his free hand pushed down the hammer head into the ground. It embedded itself then started to crack the floor. The floor crumbled as the hammer fell through. Manne saw that Robin was on the other side and headed to him, picking him up and jumping across the growing hole. Harley now back at her cabinet brought out a switch like button.

"Come closer and I press the button"

"What does it do?" Nightwing forced her too comply.

"There is bombs embedded into the walls of the lower five levels off the tower. I press this, we all go boom" Harley laughed.

"That will make the building fall, we'll by like a giant tree in the forest" Manne gave the first example that came into his mind.

"I don't know, lets see" Harley smirked as she pressed the button. The entire building shuddered as the bombs exploded at the base of the tower. Manne looked down the hole he had created to see flames rising to the top.

"Asta La Vista, BIRD BRAINS!" she laughed as she ran to the opposite end of the floor. She brought out her remaining gun and fired at the window, braking it and allowing her to feel the wind on her face. The building started to lean to one side, Harley Quinn's side was rising as Manne was lowering down. He quickly grabbed Robin and shook him till he woke up. Nightwing ran after Harley, dodging desks and chairs as they slid down the floor. The flaming explosion was rising higher, destroying anything in its path. Harley jumped out off the window and slid down the glass building, Nightwing followed her. Manne and Robin ran side by side, Robin didn't care if Nightwing didn't trust him. Manne Quinn saved his life. They only managed to reach the window as the flames rose into the top floor and consumed it.

They started their chase of Harley Quinn, whilst sliding down a collapsing building.


	47. The Downfall of Harley Quinn

Wind rushed through their faces as they slid down the glass surface off the collapsing tower. Wayne Enterprises was falling rather fast; many of the people on the ground floor either saw the explosion or were in it. Everyone started to run away as soon as it started to crumble. Two Face gave the order to run, both rebel and soldier made a dash to safety. Rain still poured down, making the surface more slippery. Thunder roared in the sky as the flames and smoke rose into the black clouds.

Harley Quinn was about a floor in front off Nightwing; Robin and Manne were a floor behind him. Bits of debris and ash flew up the building as the explosion still took its effect on the building. Harley, still holding her 'bat-killer', flipped her body so she was going down head first. She aimed the gun and started to fire at Nightwing. Nightwing used his battle rods to deflect each bullet, some passed by and headed for Robin but the others smashed some windows, forcing both Manne and Robin to jump over them. Harley smiled as she realised she was going to get away.

Manne, still in anger at his Mother for revealing the truth to Nightwing, pushed his chest up. His body became straight as he started to run down the now diagonal building. He ran away from Robin and passed Nightwing, who had a face of both disgust and shock. Harley saw that her son was coming after her, she then started to aim at Manne.

Manne brought out his flat sword and cut in half each bullet that Harley shot. Her face soon turned to anger as she pressed her hands against the glass and did a mid-air backflip. She landed on the glass, skidding as she came to a stop. She guessed that she was near the twenty-second floor. Harley looked up at the scarred face off her son, she smirked and charged at him. Nightwing saw what was happening and stood up, his balance not as good as Manne's and Harley's. Robin still sliding down brought out his staff and brought himself to a halt, in-between two window frames. He stayed where he was but Robin could still feel the tower falling. With Manne and Harley charging at each other, their strength gave them better balance on the slippery surface.

Manne's sword soon connected with Harley's gun, it did not cut. Harley tried tripping him up but Manne saw it coming and flipped her over. Still holding her arm, Manne brought her fast down into the glass. It smashed as she hung from the frame. Using his arm, Harley pulled herself up and kicked Manne in the face. Nightwing was soon at Manne's side and started to fight Harley one on one. Battle rods smashed against metal bracelets as Harley and Nightwing performed acrobatic tricks to confuse each other.

Robin pulled himself up to see he could at least kneel on the building, then something caught his eye. Something huge, green and glaring its yellow eyes was at the bottom off the slope. Smoke and debris flew all around the lower levels off the tower. But Robin could see the starving smile of Killer Croc facing at the four people. His reptillian skin shiny in the pouring rain.

"Dick!" Robin shouted, attracting both Nightwing's and Harley's attention. They looked up at Robin as he pointed downwards. Manne uncovered his face to see immediately what Robin was looking at. Nightwing and Harley turned their heads to see Killer Croc roar and charge up the building. "RUN!"

Harley barged past Nightwing and ran up the building. Manne looked down at his feet and saw that flames were crawling up the inside off the building, they didn't have long. He stood up fully and tugged on Nightwing's arm, pulling him to run. Nightwing realized this and started to run after Harley, pulling away from Manne. Robin quickly retrieved his staff and started after Harley, who ran past him seconds before. Killer Croc's clawed hands and feet crashed into the glass, resulting in small shards falling into the fire below.

"Nooooonnnnnee oooofffff yoouuuuuuuu wiiiillllll esssssscappeee me!" Killer Croc hissed. This made everyone run faster, not only were they trying to catch Harley, they were also running for their lives. Manne noticed they were five floors away from the top of the building, Croc was ten floors behind them and catching up. Harley began to slow down, she was growing tired but her adrenaline kicked in and she pushed herself to get away. Manne too pushed himself, the strain on his body was building up.

"Were at the top" Nightwing proclaimed as Harley Quinn stopped just on the edge. She didn't give up her fight though, she attacked Robin who was nearest to her and pushed him into Manne. The building was falling faster and it was close to the ground, probably two minutes and it would crash. Croc was five floors behind the group now.

"Mother don't do this" Manne shouted. "Just come with us, you'll live"

"Robin, take Manne" Nightwing asked.

"What?" Manne shouted as Robin grabbed him in a hug. Then he pulled a cord on his suit and a pair of glider wings shooted out off his back. The updraft off wind fill the wings and both Robin and Manne went flying up. "NO!" Manne shouted as he saw both Nightwing and his Mother turn into tiny dots.

"Come on Harley" Nightwing offered his hand. Harley looked at it before moving. She brought forward her hand and looked like she was going to take it, until she turned and kicked Nightwing in the chest. She brought out a knife as Nightwing quickly moved back. Her soaking wet blonde hair flicked as she spun. The black ended ponytail blended into the smoke whilst the red ended ponytail blended into the flames.

"You have ruined everything, even my own son hates me" she shouted in anger.

"You did that yourself" Nightwing dodged a swing off the knife. "Anyway, he doesn't fully hate you. He wanted you to be safe"

"You turned him against me, you BROKE by little M.Q" Harley was going frantic now. Nightwing could see Killer Croc only three floors away. It was like the final countdown, floor by floor he came closer to his prey.

Three. Harley dived for another slash. "I will not be beaten again!"

Two. Nightwing dodged. He was on the very edge of the tower as it fell more to the ground. "I will not lose like Mr. J!"

One. Nightwing tugged on his cord and the wings flew out. He was taken into the air. "Harley" Nightwing yelled. She scowled in hatred, tears poured down her face. "Tick Tock!"

"Heeerrrreeee cooommmmeesssss thhhhheeeee CROC!" The repltillian monster hissed. Harley quickly turned around and screamed as Killer Croc barged into her, water spraying off them as they launched off the building. The tower hit the ground and flames bursted out every window. The bodies of both Harley Quinn and Killer Croc flew into smoke and fire as Harley Quinn screamed. The scream however died down and only the sound of the crumbling building was heard.


	48. Manne's Warning

Nightwing glided through thick smoke, his head turning looking for the rooftop that he and Robin agreed on. A small apartment block about five blocks away from Wayne Enterprises. Instead off the searchlights lighting up Gotham it was now the wreckage and carnage of the battlezone. It's flaming orange gloow lit up the horizon as smoke and ash rose up into the air. Nightwing felt cold as he flew further away from the blaze and into the rain.

Two figures were standing on the apartment rooftop, one was standing on the edge, staring at the inferno. Manne.

"Dick, over here" Robin called out as Nightwing landed on the hard surface. Robin greeted his adoptive brother with a tight hug, brotherly love passing between them. "Where's Harley?"

"Dead, I think" Nightwing whispered. Manne didn't shiver or react which meant he didn't hear them. "She tried to kill me but Killer Croc took her off the top and into the smoke"

"So she could be alive" Robin too whispered.

"If she is then Croc would have ripped of her head" Robin looked to Nightwing. The truth in his words beamed out in his face. Nightwing had to admit it was a horrible way to die, even for Harley.

"What about Manne?"

"I don't care what he does. What I said still counts, after this night, I will hunt him down and throw in Arkham forever" Nightwing raised his voice a bit to make sure Manne heard him. Robin looked at the apir and suddenly dropped his head. "What's wrong?"

"Red's dead" He sobbed. The memory of Red being shot and thrown out of the top floor filled his mind.

"I'm sorry, Robin" Nightwing tried to comfort his friend. "But this is the life we live. We have to deal with losses, like Bruce did"

"I know, that's why I'm not in tears" Robin laughed. Though it was nervous and hurt.

"I was right then!" Manne shouted. Nightwing looked up as Robin tried to connect the pieces of there relationship together.

"About what?" Nightwing sneered.

"How Gotham needs saving" he turned around, his wet hair flicking in the wind. "It needs Batman"

Nightwing breathed in and Robin thought he was going to leap at Manne. "You were right" he sighed.

"But Batman's dead" Robin spoke up.

"The man is dead" Nightwing replied.

"But not the legacy" Manne added. Nightwing squinted his eyes as Robin became confused with it all.

"You know I'll be after you" Nightwing said.

"Of course" Manne replied. "I won't make it easy though"

"Oh yeah"

"Yeah, because I will be seriously PISSED OFF WITH YOU!" Manne launched himself from the roof and charged at Nightwing. He was so fast that he tripped up Robin and grounded Nightwing in a matter of five seconds. Manne sat on top of Nightwing's stomach and his fists rained down on him. Nightwing recieved punch after punch and he almost felt like his face was about to break when Manne was suddenly dragged off. Robin pulled him by the jacket and threw him across the roof. He flashed his flat sword and growled. "My Mother is dead, you didn't think that I could hear your whispering. I know Harley is dead and that you flew off to safety"

"She tried to kill me, Manne" Nightwing splattered blood over the rooftop. Rain immediatly washed it away.

"Who doesn't?" Manne made the good point. "This city is full of thugs and super-villains that try to kill you everyday"

"That's different"

"NO IT IS NOT. YOU LEFT MY MOTHER TO THAT BEAST" He started to cry and his toxic eyes started to glow.

"It's different because now other cities would have seen the battle and they will be sending their forces to re-take Gotham" Nightwing explained.

"LET THEM. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ANYMORE. TWO THINGS I HAD AND I'VE LOST THEM. YOU AND MY MOTHER!"

Nightwing crumble underneath Robin's arms. Robin caught him and held him up. Manne's eyes glowed proper bright as he started to cry more. Noises came from all directions. Helicopters flew over the air, boats came crashing onto the beaches and trucks and tanks came rolling into the city. Nightwing was right, other cities sent their forces to give no chance for criminals to re-take the city. "It's over, Manne. Don't make this worse for yourself!"

"OH, IT WILL GET WORSE. I WILL NOT STAND BY AND WATCH AS THIS CITY LIVES AND MY MOTHER DOES NOT!"

"What?" Robin gasped for air.

"MY MOTHER WAS RIGHT, WHY SHOULD THIS CITY LIVE?" Manne's eyes went wide, showing the effect of the green glow. "IN FACT WHY SHOULD THIS WORLD LIVE, HELPING GOTHAM AT ALL HANDS. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE IN DANGER!"

"GET HIM!" A gruff voice shouted. Everyone looked up to see two helicopters hovering above them. Soldiers climbed down from them, ready to take Manne. Manne only smiled as his entire body turned into th green glow. The soldiers moved past Nightwing and Robin and surrounded the glowing teenager.

"HA, ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME" Manne laughed. "WHEN I GLOW, EVERYTHING BLOWS!"

Manne shot him arms up in to the air and the glow on his body tunred into a huge wall of green. The dome shape of it moved as it knocked back anything in it's past. Soldiers, the Helicopters and Nightwing and Robin were all sent flying through the air as the green dome tour up the apartment building. When people came round, they realised that Manne was gone. However his warning still stuck in Nightwing's and Manne's minds.


	49. The End

Dick Grayson stood outside. The breaking of the morning sun beamed across the burnt yard of Wayne Manor. Dick was changed into comfortable clothes and his weapons were locked away in a safe. Smoke still bellowed into the sky as the forces sent by other cities tackled the raging fires.

"It's beautiful in a way" Robin appeared from behind him. Dick looked at the unmasked Robin to see his brother, Tim Drake. "Don't you agree Dick?"

"You mean the City or the sun" Dicks voice was deep and sounded like he still concentrating on the battle.

"Both" Tim replied. Dick looked round to the sun, Gotham now had its old sense of liberty and freedom again as the captured people resurfaced.

_Dick and Tim led a bunch of soldiers into the underground city to find thousands of people trapped in cages. Tim ran round looking for a specific one and yelled for Dick as he found it. Barbara Gordon was lying on the floor, her legs unable to move. She was resting against the bars off the cage, her hair frizzed up and her skin burnt in a couple of places. Alfred was also next to her, however his state made him looked like he had been dead for days._

_"Tim" Barbara gasped as she saw the boy. Dick came running towards them and saw her. She changed her eyes to Dick's and she immediately started crying. "Dick"_

_"Barbara, I'm sorry" he said as he moved into the cage. Dick ordered Barbara to flee with the others as he protected the manor and managed to get caught by Harley Quinn. She started to cry and embraced him in a hug._

_Tim moved into the room and gave Alfred the light blue mixture. He drunk it all and colour immediately returned to his face. The soldiers started to pen the other cages and explain what had happened above. Dick took hold of Barbara's arms and swung them over his neck as he picked her up. A medic team came down for Alfred, by that time he was already awake and talking weakly. As Dick moved, Barbara rested her head on his chest and he thought about that and Manne. He decided that he liked Barbara doing it more because it felt real._

"Yeah" Dick said. Tim looked at him and knew what he was thinking about.

"Do you really hate Manne now?"

"No" Dick looked away from the City. "I was just hurt, I felt betrayed"

"I just feel sad, death is a right downer"

"At least your love interest is only dead, mine has now become a psychopathic teenager who blames me for his Mother's death" Dick said looking at Tim. Tim smiled but only at the Manne part, he was still healing over Red. "I only wish we could have found her body"

"Maybe Talia took it, I don't know" Tim gave up on the conversation, looking to the ground. "So this Batman thing, you going to do it"

"Have to, from what we have seen. Criminals will come together and when they do, it will be a disaster." Dick looked back into the sunlight. "Plus we have to take Manne's warning. He's smart, he will learn from his Mother's mistakes"

"Can you answer that question yourself?" A woman's voice asked. Barbara came strolling over the burnt grass in her new wheelchair. She peered through her glasses towards Dick.

"What question?"

"Was it real feelings that you had or false ones because of Manne's pheromoans?" Barbara shivered at the question. "You will never know until you think about it"

"I know that, but I really believe that they were false. I don't feel like that they real now, even after I have forgiven him" Dick explained.

"So you know not to trust him" Barbara looked at him seriously.

"Yeah, we all know" Dick laughed. Tim smiled, forgetting the conversation about Red. "We just have to rebuild this place"

Alfred was already on his feet sweeping up the remains of the master bedrooms. Dick smiled and headed towards the Manor. "Come on, we need to sort out my Batman problem. I've a feeling Two Face will be giving us problems soon"

Tim and Barbara laughed as they headed to the secret entrance to the Bat-Cave.

_**THE END**_

_**Well, good news. The sequel has made an appearance. The Wrath of Manne Quinn has now been started, find and please read batman lovers. M.**_


	50. EXTRA List of the Dead and Missing

There is now a new sequel. _The Wrath of Manne Quinn. _I hope you enjoyed reading this and continue on reading the sequel.

**_List of the Dead and Missing_**

Bruce Wayne/Batman - Killed by being shot in the head by Harley Quinn.

Commisioner Jim Gordon - Killed by being shot by Harley Quinn.

100+ Police Officers - Killed in various ways.

Unnamed Camera Man - Killed by being shot.

50+ Civillians - Killed in various ways.

50+ Civillians - Missing, presumed dead.

Unnamed Helicopter Pilot - Fell to his death after Robin pulled him out of the air craft.

Killer Croc's Head Thug - Killed when Killer Croc bit off his head.

Seventeen Unamed Thugs - Killed during the selection process for Harley Quinn's Elite Guard (**_Renamed: The_ Horsemen**).

Apollo (**No.1**) - Killed on his mission to find the Riddler. His head was posted to Harley Quinn.

Unnamed No.2 - Killed on his mission to find the Riddler.

Unnamed No.3 - Killed on his mission to find the Riddler.

Two Unamed Pilots - Killed as Red took over a chopper.

Penguin - Missing, presumed alive.

Two Unamed Gladiator Thugs - Killed in the Arena.

10+ Clown faces - Killed by Red with machine gun fire.

Red's Brother - Killed by Zsasz.

Red's Mother - Killed by Zsasz.

Red's Father - Killed by Zsasz.

Red's Sister - Died from bloodlost.

Twenty Two Thugs - Killed in various ways by Manne Quinn.

Nightwing's Fear Thugs - Killed by Manne Quinn when he used his sawn-off shotgun.

Red's Fear Thug - Killed by Red when she stabbed him in the neck.

Tim's Fear Thug - Killed by Nightwing when he stabbed him.

Scarecrow - Missing, presumed alive.

Three Experimented Hyena's - Killed by Manne Quinn and Red by using the sawn-off shotguns.

Scarecrow's Assassin - Killed by Red when she drove his own blade into his body.

Twenty Seven Rebels - Killed in the Prison Attacks.

100+ Prison Guards - Killed in the Prison Attacks.

300+ Thugs and Soldiers - Killed in the Battle at Wayne Enterprises. (_**Most killed by Nightwing, Robin, Manne Quinn, Red, Smokey, Two-Face and Killer**_** Croc**).

Mr Freeze - Missing, presumed alive.

Nora Freeze - Missing, presumed alive.

Harley Quinn's Marksmen - Killed by Smokey using his skills with knives.

Smokey - Killed by Dante when retrieving his knives.

Tommy Lee (**No.7**) - Killed by Manne Quinn when he cut him in half, vertically.

Angel (**No.8**) - Killed when he became the main target of a chopper's weapons fire. His body was torn to shreds.

Dante (**No.5**) - Killed when Manne lodged his body onto a pole. Still alive he was then killed when a chopper, shot down by Freeze, exploded into the building.

Fernando (**No.6**) - Killed when Manne kissed him and kept contact for ten seconds. The poisonous lips paralyzed him and he fell down twenty floors.

Red - Killed by Harley Quinn when Red took a bullet, fired by Harley, aiming for Talia. She was noticed to be dead by Robin before crashing through the window.

Talia Al Ghul - Missing, pressumed dead from falling 30+ floors.

Harley Quinn - Missing, pressumed dead from being thrown into the flaming wreckage of the collapsing Wayne Enterprises Tower.

Killer Croc - Missing, pressumed alive.

Manne Quinn - Missing, known to be alive.


End file.
